The Rain That Draws Us
by KAGEJASPER
Summary: A new and yet slightly unusual student arrives at Mahora Academy. To make things seem even weirder, she has a past connection with fellow 3-A student, Zazie Rainyday. Things are about to get more interesting here with romance, drama, and a new enemy...
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Negima or any of the characters...unfortunately.

**Chapter 1**

It was a normal morning in Mahora Academy, students preparing for school, teachers preparing for classes, and a certain red head girl taking her usual route of running to first period. She was quite the athletic type, so running to school was nothing for her. Especially since her dorm roommate / friend Konoka Konoe would accompany her in the mornings while rolling on her skates. Also, her homeroom teacher and second dorm roommate, Negi Springfield, would be running along her side, just barely keeping up with her inhuman athletic speed.

"Good morning, Asuna-san!" Negi said. He would always have a look on his face saying 'yeah, I'm a 10 year old teacher and I'm proud of it!' whenever he'd greet one of his students .Asuna nodded with a grin on her face and responded

"mornin' Negi-sensei." Konoka, on the other hand, was just lost in her own little happy trance as she skated along. _'Of course, it's only obvious for her to be this way. I mean, Setsuna did confess to her only a mere few weeks ago. And Konoka gladly accepted, now she's beaming with love.'_ Asuna thought. Everything in Mahora Academy seemed so peaceful, tranquil, care-free, but maybe a bit too peaceful. Asuna's class, class 3A, wasn't the normal everyday class of middle school girls. They need excitement in their life every now and again. Even Asuna's thoughts admitted this _'hopefully something fun will happen soon; things are getting a little boring now…. Sigh'_

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><p>The bell ranged and Asuna was in homeroom. Her energetic classmates were behaving their same wacky selves as usual. She leaned back in her seat with a blank, emotionless look as she stared at the ceiling. Negi noticed Asuna's strange behavior and decided to see what was wrong with his student.<p>

"Asuna, are you okay? You've been acting strange lately; do you need to see the nurse?" Negi asked with a concerned look on his face.

"I'm fine, Negi, just… a little bored…. I guess" Asuna sighed as she hesitated with her word choice." I guess you could say that I'm tired of the calm atmosphere; I wish something new or interesting would just happen." Negi was caught quite off guard by Asuna's statement; for this was highly unusual for Asuna's hyperactive, fiery personality. _'Maybe she does need to see a nurse after all'_ Negi thought with disbelief.

"Oh yeah, I almost forgot, speaking of new things!" Negi said with an excited look on his face. Asuna leaned forward in her chair to give her full attention. "I have an announcement for the class; calm down everyone and sit in your seats, this is important!" Negi ordered. The class scrambled back to their seats, curious of what news could be so important._' He said it was something about it being new; what could it be?'_ Asuna thought as she paid attention; feeling extra anxious.

"Tomorrow, we'll have a new transfer student from the United States. I ask that you make her feel comfortable once she arrives and help her adapt to the ways of our school." Negi said.

The entire class become rowdy and excited as they chatted about the 'what if's' of the transfer student. Some squeals were heard, some pouts of disinterest were heard, and some students sat there silent. Konoka and Setsuna didn't really pay much attention at all, because they were too busy with each other. They've quickly become used to the open affection that they shared for each other. As Konoka sat there quite comfortably in Setsuna's arms, the swordsman would whisper sweet talk into the healer's ears; causing Konoka to blush at every comment. In other words, reactions about this news had quite a variety; but most of them were excited, including Asuna. She had an ear-to-ear grin when she learned there'd be a new transfer student from the United States! That smile didn't disappear from her lips for quite a while.

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><p>Once classes for today were over, Asuna returned to her dorm room. Once she entered; she noticed that Konoka was here cooking dinner but Negi wasn't back yet.<p>

"Where's Negi, Konoka?" Asuna asked while plopping down on the couch.

"I think he had a meeting after school, at least that's what grandpa said" Konoka answered as she hummed while stirring the stew.

"Well whatever, anyways, what do you think about the transfer student coming tomorrow? Asuna asked. She knew she couldn't forget about the subject too long. It was all she could think about today. She had to talk to someone about it to relieve the built up energy she held in during classes.

"Huh? What transfer student?" Konoka asked with a confused look on her face.

"Negi just told us today! During home room…. the transfer student from America…..rings any bells?" Asuna said with a sarcastic but playful tone.

"Ohhhh….it was during home room. No wonder I don't remember, I was too busy flirting with MY Secchan." Konoka said with a mischievous look in her eyes.

_'Oh dear Kami, don't let this simple child be blinded by love. Return her from Lala Land and back down to earth with us.'_ Asuna thought with a pitying expression on her face. She stared at the healer whose mind was swayed and filled with thoughts about her swordsman. She knew she should just give up talking to her about this and decided to be patient 'til tomorrow.

Later on that day it was time for dinner. Konoka invited Setsuna over to eat with them as well. Negi returned from his meeting and warmed up his leftover share of dinner. The day was reaching its end point; Konoka and Negi were already asleep. Asuna was still feeling a little busy bodied, her mind couldn't rest easy about it, and she wanted it to be tomorrow right now. Before she started to feel her eyes getting heavy and sleepy, she had one final thought._' I can't wait to meet her!'_


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own Negima or any of it's characters...but I wish I did.

**Chapter 2**

Sunlight beamed through the curtains and into Konoka, Negi, and Asuna's dorm room. The light nailed Asuna right in the eyes. She tossed and turned a little bit but she eventually admitted defeat to the blinding light. She slowly rose from her bed and yawned, like a bear waking from hibernation. She stretched quite vigorously; getting some cricks and cracks here and there. Once her grogginess cleared, her facial expression converted from sleepy to being completely focused. Today was the day that the American transfer student was coming and Asuna couldn't wait.

She didn't waste time getting dressed and forked down her breakfast that Konoka prepared. Konoka and Negi watched Asuna as she was eating way to fast and caused her to choke a little.

"Slow down Asuna! Eat it properly, geez." Konoka said worriedly. Negi patted Asuna's back in a panicky way.

"I don't have time to eat properly; I want to see the American student! I got to- (cough, cough)" Asuna's rant was interrupted by a choking fit. Once Asuna caught her breath, she decided to eat properly, especially since Konoka gave her the 'princess deaths stare'. Her stare read 'eat my cooking properly or choking from food will be the least of you worries'. Asuna wasn't quite ready to die yet.

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><p>As classes began, everyone scrambled into their seats immediately without fooling around or chatting with anybody. Asuna didn't even have to ask herself why because she already knew. The students were just as eager to see the new student as she was. Negi finally walked into the classroom and was stunned by what he saw. To see his homeroom class behave so well, and to act so quiet, it was kind of an uncomfortable atmosphere for him. But he kept his professional composure as a teacher. He cleared his throat and spoke.<p>

"If you all remember from yesterday, I said that we will have a student from the United States transfer to our class. She is standing out in the hallways right now. You can come in and introduce yourself now!" Negi said as he pointed his attention towards the doors.

"Hai" said a faint and low voice from behind the sliding doors. The doors slid open and she walked into the room. She stood next to Negi and faced the entire class. Many students had either a surprised or happy expression on their face as they scanned the student's appearance.

She was quite tall for a middle school student. She had dark colored skin, like that of African descent. A straight, cold, and bored expression on her face that didn't make a twitch or move at all. Her eyes were hazel; a beautiful hazel at that. She had long, silky, black hair that was combed to cover one of her eyes. Yet you could still faintly see it through the strands. Her legs looked firmly toned even though she seemed like the not so active type. She stood in a leaning and relaxed posture; which gave off a smooth feeling somehow. And finally; her most noticeable feature was her seemingly big bust.

"Why don't you tell the class some things about yourself?" Negi asked the transfer student.

"Hai. My name is Kendra Guinyard and I'm 15 years old. I came from Charleston, South Carolina. I don't have many hobbies, although I do draw cartoons every now and again when I can. But I wouldn't say I'm talented. I don't exactly hate socializing; it's just bothersome. So let's try to get along with as little communication as possible. I'll be in yawl's care." The student said while keeping that same unbreakable look on her face .Her hazel eyes looked around at all the students; almost as if she's studying their faces. When she glanced at Asuna, her eyes stayed for a few seconds and then looked away. Her glare sent a slight chill down Asuna's spine _'what the?'_ Asuna thought. Then the student's eyes wavered over at an unexpected student, Zazie Rainyday. She stared at her a while, minutes, and Zazie just stared back without breaking the eye contact. Finally, Kendra looked away and said

"That's all I got to say." You could hear the South Carolinian accent in her voice a couple of times; which fascinated the students. Even though Kendra mentioned she prefers little communication; she was going to be bombarded with a million questions. Negi started to look for a seat for Kendra.

"Let's see. Oh, you can sit in that chair behind Asuna-san. "Negi said while pointing at the empty seat. Kendra nodded and walked towards her seat in a sort of laid-back kind of style. _'She's definitely the lazy, sluggish, and quiet type'_ Asuna thought as she watched Kendra slowly sit down. When Negi finished up explaining things like upcoming events and reminders about school the class gathered around Kendra in a questioning frenzy. Kendra still didn't break that look of hers and just stared at the surrounding girls.

"Do you have a boyfriend?"

"…."Kendra didn't respond.

"Are you good at sports?"

"…"Kendra still didn't respond.

"Are you a lone-wolf type or just really shy?"

"…" Yet still no response.

Asakura popped up with a camera and notepad and asked Kendra

"What kind of reputation did you have in your last school, was it a good or bad one?"

"Seven" Kendra responded calmly. It's obvious that she really didn't want to answer any questions and just said what she wanted. The answer left half the class dumbfounded and the other half laughing.

"She's funny! Yeah, that's classic. Hey what's your old reputation? Seven. Hahahaha!" they shouted while sharing a moment of laughter. Asakura chuckled for a little as well before she spoke to Kendra once again; looking even more eager to pry into her privacy some more.

"But seriously though. There has to be some kind of juicy story I could write in the paper about our little transfer student here." Kendra looked in the opposite direction and stared at the wall. She exhaled deeply in an annoyed manner. Seconds passed until she finally faced Asakura. The girls stood in silence as they eyeballed Kendra. The suspense of silence was killing them; especially Asuna. Then, Kendra immediately stood up out of her chair, which caused quite a few students to jump with surprise. She slowly turned her hazel eye's attention to Negi and asked in a low voice

"Teach. I ain't feelin' a'ight. I'm bout to head to da nurse." _'And get a break from these chatter boxes!'_ Kendra thought with a slight sneer on her face. Negi stood there with a completely confused look on his face. Thinking that he must have misheard what Kendra said, he responded

"Pardon?"

"I said…I ain't feelin' a'ight. I'm bout to head to da nurse." Kendra repeated in a slower pace for Negi to understand. Negi stood there for a few seconds as he stared at Kendra with his mouth gaping open and closing; for he had no idea how to respond to such slang. Kendra stood there patiently as she waited for Negi to grant her permission to leave. As she waited, the girls started to whisper amongst themselves; trying to "translate" what the heck Kendra just said. Moments of an uncomfortable stare-off between Negi and Kendra passed, until something even more unexpected happened. Zazie stood up out of her chair quickly with pencil and paper in her hand. The entire class's eyes were now focused on Zazie as she steadily made her way to Kendra. She plopped down beside the transfer student and started writing something. The students stared curiously to see what Zazie could possibly be jotting down on the paper. Once she finished, she immediately shoved the paper in Kendra's face. Kendra hesitated before taking the paper and reading it. Hazel eyes scanned the paper from right to left. Kendra took the pencil Zazie offered and wrote something herself. She handed the pencil and paper back to Zazie and she read what Kendra wrote. Zazie looked up at Negi and slowly opened her mouth to speak.

"Negi-sensei, Kendra said that she is not feeling well and requested to go see the nurse."

"!" Everyone in the room was speechless. Not only is the transfer student talking in an accent they could never understand, but now Zazie can translate this gibberish quite easily. And even more shocking than that, Zazie spoke.

"Is that not okay, Negi-sensei?" Zazie asked with her usual blank but innocent look. Negi was still lost and confused about what's going on. He soon lost his composure as a teacher and had a face that looked like a ten year old that accidentally walked in on his parents on their 20th anniversary. His face expressed mixed emotions of confusion, curiosity, and panic. Negi finally pulled himself together, remembering where he was, and stuttered

"V-very well…Kendra. You can…g-go see the nurse, if that's what you were asking" Negi had quite an unsure tone in his voice. _'I can see why she prefers less communication'_ everyone thought with a cold sweat. Kendra bowed slightly and said

"Thanks teach." She slowly left the room. As soon as the doors slid shut the students now started to attack Zazie with a questioning frenzy.

"How the heck did you know what she was saying! So you can actually speak! Do you know her or something! What did you write on the paper!" The class bombarded poor Zazie with questions just like Kendra. Now she was starting to feel a little jealous; she wished she could run away to the nurse from this pressuring atmosphere as well.

Asuna on the other hand didn't care at all about Zazie, but was too occupied with her suspiciousness about Kendra. _'Something's off here. There were only specific questions that she responded or showed any reaction to. Questions about her past life in her old school; she seemed rather annoyed by it. Also, she stared at Zazie for quite a few minutes there, and Zazie just looked back as well. Then, she even translated Kendra's slang easily. I just can't accept this as coincidence!'_ Asuna puzzled while hunching over in her seat.

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><p>Classes were over and the students were heading back to their dorm rooms. Asuna wanted to meet Kendra in her dorm to give her a little welcoming visit. She was about to knock on her door until she just barely heard a voice from inside. It was Kendra and it sounded like she was a lot more talkative and happier than this morning.<p>

"Yo, Deveron, you won't believe dis man!" Kendra said happily. Asuna pressed her ear against the door to hear well. _'Oh god, I'm turning into a Haruna, eavesdropping on people's conversations like this is so wrong.'_ Asuna thought. But she couldn't fight the temptation to hear Kendra's secret conversation.

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	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I do not own Negima or any of its characters...but a girl can dream, can't she?

**Chapter 3**

Kendra was alone in her dorm room talking about something and Asuna was secretly eavesdropping on her conversation outside the door. Asuna tried her best to pick up on everything Kendra said; she didn't want to miss a thing.

"Yo, Deveron, you won't believe dis man! You remember the girl Zazie that I would always talk to you about? Well….yeah, on da first day she helped me talk wit everyone. Also, she even spoke for me; the last I remember, Zazie don' like to talk. It made me feel pretty special, you know. I was so happy and hype, that it was hard to keep a straight face around everyone." Kendra halted in the middle of her rambling and was silent for a little while.

"Haha, you're so stupid, Deveron. Well, Imma 'bout to bounce homeboy. I'll call you later." Kendra hung up her phone and sat on her bed with a satisfied smile. _'What kind of connection does she have with Zazie?'_ Asuna thought while slowly removing her ear from the door; trying not to make a sound. She decided to leave it for later because she has had a long and tiring day at school and she really wanted to take a nap. Asuna strutted off down the hallways back to her dorm room. Kendra was still sitting on her bed smiling. She brought her hands up and swept her silky hair back; trying to calm herself down. Her hands stopped at the back of her neck, clasped together and she slumped forward while resting her elbows on her knees. She stared at the floor and felt her eager smile return back to its cold mask. Kendra stared at the clock on the wall she recently hung up.

"'s bout time already, huh." Kendra whispered under her breath. She got up and searched through her few boxes that she still had to unpack. She picked up a box that had 'important' written on it in permanent black marker. Her hands delicately removed the tape and flipped it open; a smirk appeared on her face. Kendra pulled out a slick, black velvet bag that had 'KAZE' stitched neatly on it in beautiful cursive. She slipped on a jacket over her uniform shirt, looped the bag over her shoulders and left her dorm room immediately. She walked down the hallways in a fast, hurried pace while elusively walking around 3-A's infamous otaku, Haruna, she was also called Paru-chan. Kendra didn't bother to turn around to quickly greet Haruna; she had no concern to stop for a quick chat with someone she doesn't even know. Haruna stared at Kendra as she quickly paced down the hallways; a big grin grew on the otaku's face.

"Fu Fu Fu, I smell love in the air. I wonder who the lucky person is that caught our little transfer student's attention." Chuckled Haruna. Haruna knew the nosey and perverted blood in her couldn't resist following Kendra. Konoka and Setsuna came walking down the hallway in the opposite direction of Kendra while holding hands._ 'She looked like she was in a hurry. Kind of reminds me of myself back around when I first transferred to Mahora. Having a cold, hard face and acting distant and secluded from everyone; it makes me feel a little guilty to see someone else go through loneliness just like I did.'_ Setsuna thought when she saw Kendra walk by a few seconds ago. Konoka saw Haruna starting to stealthily move by them until she stopped the otaku out of curiosity

"Hey Paru-Chan! Why are you moving all stealth-like? Trying to sneak on somebody again, aren't you." Konoka accused with a smirk on her face. Haruna smiled mischievously and responded proudly

"Well of course I am. Kendra's giving off a strong but sweet smell of love; she's got to be smitten with someone and I'm about to find out! Perhaps even write a manga about it if it's a good pairing." Konoka awed while Setsuna grinned at the interesting news. Konoka turned to her swordsman and tugged on her arm

"Secchan, lets follow to, I'm kind of interested in who she might like!" Konoka said excitedly to Setsuna while giving her the '_pweas Secchan_' look; Setsuna couldn't resist and decided to follow with Haruna as well.

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><p>Kendra's fast paced walk from before turned into a jog as she was running through the Mahora campus. Konoka, Setsuna, and Haruna were able to keep up with her and stay on her tail though without being noticed. Kendra began to slow down as she reached her destination, the acrobatics club building. Kendra stood and stared at the building before her <em>'why can't I just go in? Am I scared? Wait…scared of what…seeing Zazie? STUPID! Why should I be scared, I'm just going to see her, that's all'<em> Kendra was in inner turmoil between her desire to see Zazie and her fear to see Zazie. The three other girls were hidden in a nearby bush and just watched as Kendra clenched her shirt near her heart tightly.

"What's going on, why's she just standing there?" Haruna whispered. Kendra clenched her shirt even tighter and hung her head; leaving with full vision of nothing but the grass beneath her feet. _'I have to remember why. Who's the sole purpose of transferring to Japan, who's the reason why I spent 7 years learning Japanese, who's the one that showed me my worth 7 years ago?'_ All these questions ran through Kendra's head.

"Zazie…she's the sole purpose…the reason why I'm here…" Kendra said to herself. A final question appeared in Kendra's mind _'Who's the girl that I fell in love with…'_ Kendra snapped her head up with confidence in her eyes. Then she stated loudly and clearly

"Zazie" A motivated smile was plastered on her face and she marched to enter the acrobatics club building, hoping to meet the girl she loved for so long. Haruna, Konoka, and Setsuna heard what Kendra said although they weren't quite sure what it meant. The spying trio carefully followed Kendra becoming more and more determined to see what  
>happens. Even Setsuna longed to know what would happen even though she was against this earlier.<p>

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	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I do not own Negima or any of it's characters...but that would be the awesomest thing in the world if I did!

_**'(thoughts in the flashback)'**_

_'(Normal, present time thoughts)'_

**Chapter 4**

Zazie was resting from her acrobatics after school practice in the locker room. She was the only one in the room, which was quite convenient for her. The quiet acrobatic pulled out a piece of paper she had in her bag. It was the paper she and Kendra used before to translate to the class what she asked. Zazie held up the paper and read it one more time.

'**It seems you still have that charming southern accent of yours. How long has it been, 7, no, 8 years? How'd you find me? And why wait almost a decade to finally appear back in my life? It was lonely without you hear…I'm just glad you're back.'**

'**Yes, it has been about 7 years since I last saw you. I did my research, turns out you are pretty popular with your acrobatics in Japan. It wasn't too hard to find you. I wanted to be prepared though…I studied Japanese all these years so that I could speak with you properly. I felt like there was a wall between us, since my Japanese before was so choppy and screwed up. I was lonely without you with me too…you wouldn't believe how happy I am to see your face again right now, but these girls are kind of invading my personal space; could you help me out?**

**P.S. - MEET ME LATER ON TODAY AT 4 P.M. IN FRONT OF YOUR CLUB BUILDING; I WANT US TO CATCH UP.'**

Zazie smiled at the last line and hugged the paper tightly to her chest. She could feel her face start to blush as she thought about herself and Kendra spending time together today. Zazie's eyes fluttered closed as she thought about the times they had together 7 years ago.

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><p><em>Flashback.<em>

"_Hurry Zazie, or else we'll miss the bus for school." Kendra said while tugging Zazie along to the bus stop. They just made it in time before the bus doors closed; they were both out of breath. They both sat down in a seat together. Zazie had a seat towards the bus window and Kendra was on the other side. Neither of them talked much at all, but it wasn't uncomfortable for them somehow. They seemed to enjoy just sitting beside each other. Zazie was watching the passing trees and street lights thinking __**'I'm going to miss this place. I don't think I'm ready to leave for Japan; I'll miss a lot of things in South Carolina. I'll miss the beautiful perfect view of the break of dawn right outside my window, my funny and energetic classmates and friends , and most of all…I'm going to miss Kendra…'** __Zazie peered over at Kendra in the corner of her eyes and then looked down at Kendra's hand; which was really close to her hand. Zazie felt an urge to gently grasp Kendra's hand and never let it go; she tried to talk herself out of it, but her willpower failed her. Zazie's hand twitched as she gently and slowly slid her hand across the smooth leather bus seat. Kendra was not looking in Zazie's direction and was unaware of what she was trying to do. Zazie nervously lifted her hand as she reached to take hold of Kendra's. Their hands were only centimeters away and Zazie became more and more nervous as the distant between their touch slowly decreased. Zazie was finally about to grab her hand until Kendra snapped her head around and immediately looked down at Zazie's hand. Zazie sat there still as she mentally kicked herself _**_'caught red-handed; I was so close.'_**_ Kendra stared at Zazie with a calm expression while Zazie had a small guilty smile on her face._

"_S-sorry" Zazie immediately tried to pull back her hand and scoot as farther away as she could; but Kendra stopped her from doing so by gently whispering_

"_You wanted to hold my hand." Kendra had a warm smile on her face when she looked Zazie in the eyes. She quickly grabbed Zazie's hands and held on tightly; Zazie was caught quite by surprise but made no effort to release their hands. Zazie smiled back as she intertwined their fingers and gripped back with the same amount of force. Zazie and Kendra held hands the entire bus ride to school; both feeling everything was right in the world._

_About 2 weeks later it was almost time for Zazie to move to Japan. Their flight was booked for tomorrow morning; which meant today was the last day that Zazie and Kendra would see each other. Zazie was in her foster home packing her personal belongings and acrobatic equipment. She felt as dead as her empty, cleaned out room. It was so cold to her; there was so much space now, that it felt painfully lonely. Zazie stared into the last suitcase she was packing; only one word that could fill her void of longing in her heart crossed through her mind __**'Kendra…'** __A light knock on her open door caused Zazie to slightly jump as she returned back to reality. It was Kendra; she entered the room with a forced smile on her face so that she could make this less painful for her dear friend._

"_Hey…your foster parents let me in so I could hang with you a little. So, you're almost done packing huh." Kendra said while leaning over to see her last suitcase in a playful manner._

"_Yeah…" Was all Zazie could say in a weak voice. She didn't look Kendra in the eyes at all. Neither did Kendra; she just looked at the floor and replied _

"_Oh…" Moments of silence befell on them as they just stood there, although they enjoy the silent moments they share together, this one was different. This moment of silence was like an alien world for them; so much emotion of regret and depression filled the air without the need of words to come out of neither their mouths. For the first time ever, they both felt uncomfortable in the silence, and wished for it to end quickly. Zazie tweaked her shoes on the smooth, wood floors as she worked up the courage to finally break the melancholy silence._

"_Can we make…a promise?" Zazie said as Kendra brought her vision up to Zazie's face; she looked as if she was on the brink of tears. At this point, Kendra would have made any promise; as long as it kept Zazie from crying._

"_Of course." Kendra said as she took two small steps towards Zazie._

"_I know I sound ridiculously selfish right now, but can you promise to never show your real, deep emotions to anyone but me, no matter how long it takes before we meet?" Zazie asked as she diverted her eyes from Kendra feeling trails of tears going down her flustered cheeks. Zazie didn't know if she was feeling whether truly upset, truly embarrassed, or both. She was waiting for Kendra to say something like,__ I don't see how that's logical or who knows how long it will be before we meet__, Zazie braced herself for those words as she started to cry even harder. _

_Kendra's calm composure soon left as she realized that Zazie began to cry with her face angled towards the floor. She immediately hugged Zazie tightly in her own arms as she gently moved her mouth to Zazie's ear. She breathed in sharply as a single tear escaped her eyes and ran down her face before she spoke with shakiness in her voice._

"_I…I promise. I won't show anyone my real, deep emotions except for you. They're meant for you and you only. But…can I at least voice my emotions without really showing them? "Kendra asked while softly stroking Zazie's hair, trying to calm her down. Zazie nodded in Kendra's shoulders because that was all she was able to do; she knew she wouldn't be able to speak while crying this hard. Zazie wrapped her arms around Kendra's back as she allowed all of her grief to come out into tears on Kendra's shoulder. After about 15 minutes or so, Zazie finally calmed down with just visible dark rings around her eyes and a wet spot on Kendra's shoulder. She took a step back and apologized_

"_Sorry. I got a huge wet spot on your shirt-"Kendra interrupted her_

"_Don't be; it's bad to hold everything in like that. It's good to let it out every now and again" Kendra said with a gentle smirk on her face." You also have the do the same. Don't show anyone your real feelings except for me, no matter how long it takes before we meet. Heh…it's funny. It seems we're both pretty selfish people, ain't dat right, Zazie." Kendra chuckled while Zazie wiped her face dry._

"_Yeah…it seems so." Zazie walked back up to Kendra and gave her an even tighter hug than the last one and stared at the wall beyond Kendra's shoulders. "Hey, Kendra." Zazie said weakly._

"_Yes?" Kendra responded while putting her arms around Zazie._

"_Since this is our last chance to hang out together…could you…do that thing that…that you do to make me feel better?" Zazie asked very shyly as she buried her face in Kendra's shoulders. Kendra grinned as she replied with a small chuckle._

"_Sure." Kendra sat down on the floor while leaning against a wall. She patted on her thighs and looked up at Zazie. "Come on, you can sit on my lap. There's nothin' to be shy 'bout" Zazie blushed a light shade of pink as she sat on Kendra's lap. She squirmed a little to make herself comfortable, and then she leaned in and rested her head in the crook of Kendra's neck. Kendra held Zazie in her arms slowly and began to stare outside her window with a beautiful view of the soon setting sun. _**_'This feels nice…and she's so warm. I wish I could be here forever.'_**_ Zazie closed her eyes as she whispered under her breath._

"_Okay…you can start if you want…" Kendra nodded slightly as she began to sing sweetly in a soft, angelic voice. Kendra's mouth was so close to Zazie's ear and Zazie could only interpret this time, their time, as a moment of true peace. They stayed like that for almost 2 hours until Kendra had to go back home or else her parents would be worried. Once Kendra left, Zazie thought how unfair it was. She was so happy and warm inside just a few minutes ago, but the cold and depression started to seep back into her heart. _**_'Kendra'_**_..._

_The morning came a lot quicker than Zazie wanted. There was no more time left now; she had to board the plane to Japan. She was waiting in the airport waiting room; hoping that Kendra would come see her off. Painstakingly suspenseful minutes passed by as she waited, but Kendra never showed up. Her foster parents said she couldn't wait any longer for her friend or else they'll miss the plane. Zazie agreed and followed behind her foster parents as they were passing through the gate, she sat in her seat on the plane, and the plane was now airborne. Zazie stared at the clouds outside her window; she didn't know what she was feeling about her best friend at the moment. She placed her fragile palms on the window surface and remembered their promise yesterday. After remembering, she choked back all of her emotions into her heart that will be locked until Kendra returns to her. As she did this, Zazie's emotionless, blank, and innocent face was created…_

_Back at the airport, Kendra came running into the building; she looked around frantically for Zazie. Then she looked up at the screen; the plane for Japan left exactly one minute ago. Kendra felt crushed; she was about to cry as she stood there in the crowd of adults towering above her. Then she remembered their promise yesterday; Kendra's eyes were blood-shot red but she didn't cry. She locked away her swirling emotion of complete depression into her heart; that was when her cold, emotionless, and motionless face was created. As she looked back at the screen, Kendra squeezed a black, velvet bag that had the word 'KAZE' stitched on it in beautiful cursive in her hand. _**_'I was too late…I couldn't give it to her'_**_ that was Kendra's final thoughts as she left the building._

_Flashback End._

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><p>Zazie opened her eyes as she heard a click and the door slowly swung open. It was Kendra, before she entered all the way; she knocked lightly on the door.<p>

"Hello. Is anyone here? I was wonderin' if Zazie Rainyday was here." Zazie knew that South Carolinian accent and immediately stood up while shoving the paper back into her bag.

"Y-yes. It's me, Kendra, you can come in. I'm the only one here." Zazie said nervously. Kendra entered and gently closed the door behind her. She smiled as she walked up to Zazie. They just stood in front of each other; both of them hesitated to speak. Until once again, just like in the past, Zazie broke the silence.

"I've missed you…I just c-can't believe this…right now." Zazie was struggling to speak her words when she felt her eyes start to tear up. Kendra realized this exact moment seven years ago and hugged Zazie very close and rested Zazie's head in her shoulders. She tried to whisper words of comfort into the sobbing girl's ears. Zazie was so happy right now, she could show her emotions without care in front of someone and now she's being held by Kendra again. The warmth that she felt almost a decade ago; it finally came back, she never wanted to be away from Kendra ever again. Kendra was definitely thinking this as well and all she could do was smile warmly and comfort her dear friend and only love.

Haruna, Konoka, and Setsuna were just outside the door and were listening to what their ears couldn't believe. They heard Zazie crying, Kendra giving comfort in such a soothing and gentle voice, and that line that came out of Zazie's mouth ,**'I've missed you'. **Haruna had a big grin on her face because she knew her scent for love would never fail her.

"I knew it." Haruna whispered. Konoka and Setsuna didn't say anything because they were just too shocked and confused at what's going on in there. They kept eavesdropping until the very end though; they were determined to hear the end of this important conversation.

Kendra pulled away from Zazie and wiped away the tears on her cheeks. Zazie blushed and began to stutter; finding it difficult to get her thoughts back in order.

"I-I thought that…you would w-wait for me outside t-the building?" Zazie asked nervously.

"I did say dat on the note, but I just couldn' wait for you. I had to see you right now or else I don' what I'd do." Kendra had a big grin on her face and patted Zazie's head; like a child. This made Zazie blush even darker and all she could mutter was

"Oh…" Kendra laughed at Zazie's cute and innocent reactions. Zazie stared at the floor in embarrassment and saw something in Kendra's hand.

"Um…Kendra? What's that little black, velvet bag in your hand?" Zazie asked. Kendra held up the bag between them both, showing the word 'KAZE' stitched in cursive. _'What does 'KAZE' mean?'_

"This was something I was going to give to you 7 years ago, but you already left on the plane. It was really devastating; looking at that screen and knowing that I was exactly 1 minute too late. You know, I kept our promise all these years." Kendra said with a dreamy look on her face as she reminisced on their past. Zazie clenched Kendra's uniform shirt and jacket as she leaned on her chest; but still not looking Kendra directly in the eyes.

"I did too…" Zazie whispered softly, feeling her blush turning a darker shade of red. Kendra smiled and pushed Zazie back again to look at her and see her crimson red face. Kendra just chuckled and said

"How 'bout we go talk somewhere; like at a diner or somethin'? We can catch up and talk there." Zazie nodded and looked down at Kendra's free hand. Kendra caught her stare and held onto Zazie's hand. Kendra pulled Zazie a little closer and stared into her eyes with a sudden serious face. "You oughta know dat if you want to hold my hand, all you gotta do is ask, a'ight?" Zazie just stared back feeling hypnotized by Kendra's hazel eyes. She slowly nodded with a dazed look and Kendra began to lead the way to a good diner she knew in town. The three girls heard footsteps coming near the door and panicked. They saw a utilities closet and quickly crammed inside together. Kendra and Zazie came out of the locker rooms and left the building without realizing the rummaging noise in the closet.

"Why the heck did we cram into a closet?" Haruna asked, fighting for room.

"I don't know; you were the one that went in there first so we just followed!" Setsuna argued while shoving at Haruna. Konoka was backed up pressed against the wall, Haruna was pushed against the door and Setsuna was in between both of them. Konoka didn't see the problem with this situation though because Setsuna was pressed really closely against her. She decided to take advantage of this moment and pulled Setsuna in even closer.

"You know, Secchan, this isn't much of a bad situation…if you ask me. Don't be shy now just because Haruna's right there." Konoka said with a purr in her voice.

"Konochan! We can't do that kind of stuff right now." Setsuna pleaded with a deep blush on her face.

"Get a room you two…and make sure to record it for me too! I need some ideas for my next Yuri manga!" Haruna asked with a sly smile on her face and drool going down the side of her mouth. That's one perverted otaku that everyone just can't hate for some reason.

"Haruna-san!" Setsuna yelled in a panicked tone while still being pulled on by Konoka. The girls shoved and squeezed through each other until Setsuna finally reached for the knob and open the door. They all collapsed on the floor entangled in a pile of limbs. The girls immediately got themselves together and chased behind Kendra and Zazie.

"Hurry up or else we'll end up losing them!" Haruna yelled as they ran to a comfortable distance behind the two girls.

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><p>Leave reviews please!<p> 


	5. Chapter 5

Discalimer: I do not own Negima or any of it's characters.

**Chapter 5**

Kendra and Zazie decided to take the bus to the diner in town that Kendra recommended. The bus wasn't very crowded at all; only a few people were there. Kendra and Zazie shared a seat together. Zazie sat near the window and stared at passing images. Kendra was on the opposite end, feeling a little nervous because she hasn't been near Zazie for 7 years. _'Its' okay, calm down, don't lose your cool Kendra. We're just going to eat together; everything will go as planned.'_ Kendra started to feel a blush creep up on her cheeks, _'Dammit! I'm supposed to keep my cool not blush!'_ Kendra turned her head and tried not to look in Zazie's direction while mentally kicking herself. Zazie stole a glance over at Kendra who uncharacteristically had a blush on her face. Worried, Zazie leaned toward Kendra and asked

"Are you alright, Kendra? Do you have a fever?" Zazie gently placed her hand on Kendra's shoulders and turned her so that she could see Kendra's face clearly. Kendra waved her hand up in defense and replied

"I'm fine, I'm fine. Really, just…a little hot…I guess." Kendra's response became more and choppier as Zazie crept even closer with a concerned look; causing Kendra to blush even harder. But every time Zazie crept closer, Kendra unconsciously leaned back farther. Zazie stopped leaning forward and just stared at Kendra; feeling hypnotized by those hazel eyes once again. Kendra was in a tight fix, if she leaned back any farther she would fall out her seat, and if she asked Zazie to move she'd be afraid that she won't be able to be so close to Zazie's face like this again. Her mental decision balance was weighing between Zazie's beautiful face and not falling out of her seat. It was a difficult decision but her public decency won her over, she gently grabbed Zazie's shoulders and said

"Zazie, could you back up a little? I'm kind 'a on da edge of my seat here." Kendra grinned sheepishly. Zazie's dazed look shot to surprise as she remembered where she was, they were on a public bus; now was not the time to be hypnotized and lose self-control. She quickly slid back to her side of the seat, blushing deeply and allowing Kendra her seating space back.

"Sorry! I d-didn't mean it. I-I was just-"Kendra cuts her rambling short.

"Calm down, Zazie, it's okay. I know you didn't mean it." Kendra gave Zazie a reassuring smile after she gained a little control over her blush. Zazie just looked down still feeling embarrassed at how close she was to Kendra. Silence befell upon them and once again, they didn't enjoy this silence. _'How could I just do that? I'm such an idiot…'_ Zazie thought depressingly. Although they've been separated for years, Kendra could tell that Zazie was not in the happiest mood. She kept giving Zazie concerned glances and wondered _'how can I make her feel better?_'

"Hey, are you feelin' a'ight? You don' look too happy." Zazie looked at Kendra and strained a fake smile; trying her best to prove her wrong.

"Like I said, you don't have to worry about before; I know you didn't mean it. Besides…" Kendra held Zazie's hand in her own and intertwined their fingers; she griped tightly and Zazie griped back unconsciously. Zazie was a little surprised by her automatic reaction and concluded in her thoughts _'perhaps I've been wanting this since we got on the ride; it just feels so right.'_ Kendra was a little surprised by Zazie's reaction as well but was determined to finish her sentence.

"Besides…I ain't gonna lie. I kind 'a enjoyed seeing yo' cute face so up close. You've definitely became prettier over these years." Kendra's blush was slowly returning as she said those words but kept her eyes locked on Zazie's. _'GOD that sounds a lot more embarrassing than it was in my head!'_ Kendra thought waiting for a positive reply from Zazie. Zazie was a little stunned and flattered by what she said but never expected Kendra to be so straight forward about it. Zazie began to blush beet red and steam could be seen coming off her face. Kendra laughed at Zazie's cute reaction and felt relieved that she wasn't looking depressed anymore. Kendra smiled and said softly

"Glad you feelin' betta." Zazie nodded with a smile and scooted a little closer to Kendra. _'Well…at least my embarrassment didn't go out unrewarded.' _Kendra thought as she scooted closer to Zazie as well. Zazie began to realize how everything they've done today was almost the same as before. She cried into Kendra's shoulders when they lost each other and at their reunion. They hugged each other while Kendra whispered words of comfort in Zazie's ears. Lastly, they held hands on the entire bus ride tightly without letting go, just like before. Remembering this, Zazie realized that nothing's change; that Kendra hasn't changed and neither has she. Kendra began to realize that their bus was getting close to its stop.

"Oh. I think we're almost here. This place is pretty popular in this area since it's made as a place for teens to hang out." Kendra said.

"Oh yeah. I think I know what place you're talking about. I've wanted to go there and see what it's like, but I was a little nervous to go by myself and all." Zazie admitted sheepishly. Kendra smiled at another of Zazie's cute points.

"Well…if you eva' want to go there, you could a 'ways just ask me to go wit you." Kendra slightly tightened her grip on Zazie's hand as she said this. _'Oh god…please don't say anything else…'_ Zazie thought nervously as she felt her composure become weak under the pressure to hug Kendra right this second. Zazie used her free hand to clutch the edge of the bus seat, trying to repress her intimate urges. Kendra noticed an unusual look on Zazie's face and felt worried. So, much to Zazie's inconvenience, Kendra leaned in very closely to Zazie and asked

"You a'ight...Zazie?" Kendra whispered in a very soft tone. Kendra stared up into Zazie's nervous eyes with her hazel ones. Zazie felt her resistance crumble as she started to become loss in Kendra's eyes again. _'Oh no. Not the eyes…'_ Zazie pleaded in her thoughts; but it was too late. Zazie found herself placing her free hand on Kendra's left shoulder and did what Kendra never expected to happen. _'I don't care anymore…'_ Zazie gently pressed her lips against Kendra's right cheek. Zazie pulled back after a few seconds with a glazed look on her eyes. Her hand was still on Kendra's shoulder and Kendra didn't really twitch or anything for a few moments, because she was in shock. _'Wat da hell jus' happen?'_ Kendra thought. _'I was askin' if she was okay, den da next thing I know she kisses me on the…cheek…wait…WHAT?'_ Kendra's slow thinking process finally caught up with reality as she realized what happened. Her calm face quickly turned to a full blush as she slightly jumped back and held her cheek with her free hand.

"Uh, um, I-I just imagined dat, right?" Kendra stuttered. Zazie also realized what she has done and remembered they were **still** on the bus. Zazie quickly released Kendra's hand, to Kendra's slight disappointment, and leaned away towards the window as far as she could.

"I-I'm so sorry, it's j-just that, the e-eyes and the th-things you say, and…and" Zazie's rambling became mumbles as she blushed and stared at her lap. Kendra was slowly beginning to calm down and thought to herself _'In all truth…I definitely didn't hate the kiss. Besides, it was probably only a friendly peck on the cheek, it didn't mean anything I bet…'_ Kendra felt a mix of emotions right now. She felt embarrassed, happy, confused, and upset. But Kendra didn't want Zazie to see her like that so she kept a caring face and responded

"Hey. It's okay, I know it was just a friendly peck on the cheek…nothin' else. So don't worry ab-"

"It wasn't just a friendly peck…" Zazie interrupted Kendra as she whipped her head up to look at her. Kendra was caught off guard; Zazie never interrupted her with such an annoyed expression before.

"Not for me. It meant a lot more than that…because…I lo-"Kendra started to feel her heart race as she waited for those three words she always wanted to hear from Zazie.

THUMP!

The loud thump sound made both of the girls jump as they turned their attention to the back of the bus.

"Oh my god! Quick, we have to stop at the nearest hospital! This young girl passed out and is bleeding heavily from the nose!" Said a middle aged man who was another passenger on the bus. Two other girls were kneeling down beside the girl that collapsed; trying to aid her.

"Okay, everyone! We're at the stop so hurry and get off here; we got a patient to rush to the hospital!" the bus driver shouted swinging the doors open. Kendra and Zazie began to quickly exit the bus in a hurry; Kendra quickly grabbed her black bag before getting up. Kendra took one more glance at the fainted girl before she got off _'have I seen her before? No, that can't be…'_ Kendra shook off the thought and stood next to Zazie on the sidewalk. The bus then sped off to the nearest hospital.

"I hope that girl is okay." Zazie said worriedly.

"Yeah, me too." Kendra commented. _'Lucky for me that that happened. I wouldn't have known how to handle the situation'_ Kendra thought in relief.

"So, how about we head to that diner? Luckily, it's pretty close from here." Kendra said optimistically. Zazie nodded at Kendra, still feeling embarrassed about what happened on the bus.

"A'ight then, then let's get goin'!" Kendra cheered happily while tugging Zazie gently along.

* * *

><p>At the hospital<p>

The girl that fainted was in a hospital bed with her own room. The two other girls were sitting at her bed side. One of the girls had a side ponytail for a hairstyle and the other had long chocolate-brown hair. The girl resting in the bed was wearing glasses and had green, long hair. All three of them were wearing a long overcoat and hat before the nurse asked them to remove them.

"Don't die Haruna!" Konoka cried.

"Konoka, you have to get a hold of yourself! She WILL make it!" Setsuna said while shaking Konoka quite dramatically.

"Oh…I'm afraid I won't make it. I, I can see the light. It's so…beautiful." Haruna muttered; slowly raising her hand to the ceiling.

"Don't go towards the light Haruna, fight it!" Konoka and Setsuna shouted.

"I-I'm sorry. But…the scent of love was just…too much. The kawaii level…and love…and…Yuri…was too much…ugh." Haruna fainted as she whispered her final words. The machine went flat line and Konoka cried into Setsuna's arms.

"Why'd they have to take Haruna? She just wanted to draw and read perverted manga! Is that too much to ask? Why'd you have to take our beloved otaku!" Setsuna shouted desperately to the heavens. After a few moments of silence and despair Haruna immediately sat up and said with a satisfied smile

"Alright, that's enough fun for now!"

"Finally!" Setsuna said irritably. "Why'd we have to do that anyways?"

"Oh, come on Secchan! I thought it was fun!" Konoka said happily.

"Yeah, loosen up a little Setsuna-San!" Haruna said while hopping out of the bed.

"Wait, won't the doctors be upset about you faking an illness?" Setsuna questioned.

"..."Haruna was silent.

"..."Setsuna was silent.

"..."Konoka was silent; her bubbly smile still present of course.

"Last one out the window is a cell mate's new toy!" Haruna shouted while hopping out the window.

"Wait! This is the 12th floor! "Setsuna shouted as she jumped out the window with Konoka in her arms and spread out her wings. Setsuna caught Haruna in midair and landed safely with both girls in either arm.

"What the HELL'S your problem! That was the 12th floor!" Setsuna shouted angrily at Haruna.

"Well…I knew you wouldn't let your favorite otaku fall to her death." Haruna said grinning widely. Setsuna rubbed her temples and inhaled deeply

"Okay, fine, whatever. Let's just go home already."

"Nope! We still have a diner to visit." Haruna winked.

"Yeah, let's go to a diner! I am a little hungry." Konoka said while clutching Setsuna's arm. Setsuna looked over at Konoka and saw she was doing the pouty face again; Setsuna sighed and gave up.

"All right. Let's go to this diner that Haruna-San's talking about" Setsuna pouted.

"Yay!" Haruna and Konoka shouted.

_'Somebody…please. Save me!'_ Setsuna thought as she was dragged to their destination.

To be continued...I'VE ALWAYS WANTED TO USE THAT LINE! Please review!


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I do not own Negima or any of its characters...no really, I don't.

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><p><strong>Chapter 6<strong>

Kendra and Zazie came up to the entrance of the recommended diner; Kendra held the door for Zazie as they went in. They were both caught in a trance as they scanned the inside of the diner.

It felt more like a club for teens. There was a half-bar, half-register counter for orders and the person behind the counter had spiked, black hair with a pierced lip; he also had on an unusual uniform. He had on a long sleeve black button-up shirt, but it was only half buttoned. His black tie was loosened and dangled over his white tank top which could be seen under his long sleeve shirt. The long sleeve was also tucked into his white skinny jeans. The jeans actually complicated his skinny but muscular stature and he had a cute face. Girls were crowding around the counter trying get their "orders "when really, they just wanted the poor boy's number. Behind the counter was a large shelf with assorted drinks and refreshments. All the seats had a soft, almost fur-like fabric to it, but not like the 1960s feeling; it still gave off a modern feeling. Above the seats that were connected to the walls, there was a wall lamp that gave off a neon glow. Even though it was day time outside; there were no windows. So the neon lamps are what really gave off that clubbing feeling. Finally, music could be heard throughout the diner, but it wasn't too loud or too low, it was just the right volume.

Kendra stared in awe and excitement while Zazie began to feel nervous; she wasn't used to this kind of atmosphere. Zazie clenched Kendra's arm and pressed closely to her side. Kendra looked down at Zazie and gave her a confident smile.

"There's nothin' wrong wit dis place Zazie. I've been to places like these before in America so just follow my league and relax. Besides, if sometin' does happen or someone messes wit us, then they'll have ta go through me. A'ight?" Zazie thought to herself how amazing it was how Kendra can easily sway her emotions with only a few simple words and a smile. She nodded and smiled

"Yeah. I trust you." Zazie felt a lot safer holding on to Kendra, so she didn't let go until they made their orders and waited at a table Kendra chose. There was only a table left for groups, the ones meant for two people were already filled with couples. Kendra kind of pouted about it but Zazie didn't mind at all, she would've felt nervous if people got the idea that they were a couple as well. Kendra and Zazie waited for their orders, Kendra had a patient and lean attitude but Zazie was still having flashing memories of what she did on the bus. She was hoping to forget it and pretend like it didn't happen, but her mind simply wouldn't allow it. When an image of her kissing Kendra on the cheek flashed through Zazie's mind, she felt her recently occurring blush come back again. _'No, no, no! I have to stop thinking about it. I will not think of such things with Kendra anymore…the kiss…the urge to hold her…and, and…'_ Zazie's imagination began to wander off into images of her and Kendra in suggestive scenarios. Zazie caught herself before the thoughts became too vivid and tried to hide her blushing and surprised face behind her hands. Her eyes peered between her fingers as she eyeballed Kendra; she was still sitting there, relaxing and calmly humming along with the music in the background. This was driving Zazie insane, the mere fact that she was panicking and Kendra seemed so calm. Thoughts of doubt ran through Zazie's mind _'how can she act so calm? How did she forget what happened on the bus so easily? She's acting like it never happened, like the kiss didn't mean anything to her. It took so much courage for me to do that; and I almost confe-'_ Zazie's random thoughts were stopped in their tracks when a waitress came up with their food.

"All right, here's your order." The waitress said as she placed the tray on their table.

"Thank ya'" Kendra replied as she placed the food in front of Zazie, smiling at the waitress. They started to eat their meals. Zazie and Kendra were shocked at how good the food was, even though it seemed like a city club, their cooking was admirable. They continued eating in silence; once again, they didn't enjoy the silence. This time Kendra was the one to break the silence. She cleared her throat a little

"Um, you know, I still haven't told you what was in the bag. I'm planning on showing you once we get back to the dorms." A blush formed on Kendra's cheeks as she quickly took a sip of her drank; she did it while looking tense and rigid, which was very unlike Kendra's laid-back nature. Zazie noticed immediately and pondered to herself while looking at the black, velvet bag next to Kendra's leg. _'what's in there that could possibly make Kendra act so nervous?'_

"What's in the bag anyways, Kendra?" Zazie asked curiously. Kendra's blush became even darker.

"Oh…you know. Just a…um, little somethin' that would remind you…" Kendra stopped talking and her vision drifted off in another direction; trying to avoid answering the question. Zazie knew exactly what Kendra was trying to do and sighed in defeat; she gave a knowing smile and said

"Okay, okay, I understand. You don't want to tell me yet, I can wait." Kendra sighed in relief that Zazie quickly understood what she was trying to do. She looked at Zazie with a half-sheepish and half-guilty grin.

"Thanks for understandin'. It's not like I don' want to show you right now, it's just dat I want it to be a surprise and all. I want it to be perfect." Kendra slid her hand across the fur chair and held Zazie's hand; they were sitting just right, so no one was able to see those holding hands. Precious moments passed by, neither of them touched their food because they felt so content. So content that they were finally beginning to enjoy their silence; even though there was music and chatting teens in the background. Unfortunately, their long awaited silence was broken when 3 girls ran in the diner and sat down with Kendra and Zazie. Zazie immediately released Kendra's hand, again to Kendra's disappointment, and quickly putted on her blank expression. Kendra did as well and had a cold, boring look plastered on her face. Kendra looked at Haruna and asked

"What y'all want?" There was an irritated tone in her voice but Haruna didn't feel discouraged or scared at all. She already knew about their little situation and was dying to wring every little detail out of the two girls. Konoka sat next to Zazie with her usual beaming smile and Setsuna was seated next to Konoka. Setsuna was not smiling though, she just wanted to go home and forget about all of this.

"Aw don't be like that, Kendra! We were all just hanging out and decided to stop here, and then we saw you guys and thought we should give you some company!" Haruna said while patting Kendra on the back, hard. Kendra knew all too well that she was lying and didn't find it funny at all. She was also becoming annoyed because Haruna still hasn't stopped hitting her back; she didn't budge from the impact though, she was too angry at the moment.

"You're lying." Kendra said blandly. Haruna putted on an innocent face and said

"What? No way, I wouldn't lie, honest! I tell the truth all the time, we just wanted to hang with you and make the new student feel welcomed!" _'Is this a joke? Is she trying to test me or sumthin'?'_ Kendra thought angrily. Konoka and Setsuna sweat dropped at what Haruna just said _'she never tells the truth…and spreads rumors that might not even be true…'_ they thought at the same time. Zazie could tell that Kendra was becoming upset even though it didn't show on her face; she felt the urge to cling to her and calm her down, but she couldn't with her classmates around. Instead, she just avoided looking In Kendra's direction and tried not to think about it. Haruna kept chatting up poor Kendra and asking questions that Kendra didn't answer or even react to. She would ask Kendra questions like

"Are you and Zazie good friends? How good? Maybe even more than friends? It has to be because the scent of love is very strong right now. It's so strong that my nostrils are clogged." _'Just ignore her Kendra and keep your cool…'_ Kendra thought as she sighed. Kendra's eyes began to linger on the table and realized that neither she nor Zazie finished their food; in fact, there was still a lot more left. She looked at Zazie and asked her

"Do you want your food? If not, I'll throw it away along with mine." Kendra said while gesturing to grab Zazie's plate. Zazie shook her head 'no' and Kendra putted their plates on the tray. She turned her head to look at Haruna and said

"I have to get out in order to throw dis away ya 'know." Haruna chuckled a little at her accent and stood up to let Kendra leave. The trash cans were a good distance away from their seat so the group expected she wouldn't be back for at least two minutes. Haruna took advantage of this and her vision darted at Zazie with a mischievous grin. She slowly scooted towards Zazie and said

"So…how about we talk about your friend Kendra, Zazie?" Zazie didn't like where this was going and started to look down nervously at her lap. Haruna noticed right away her unusual behavior and became even nosier; she was about to interrogate Zazie when she felt something smooth brush against her thigh. It was Kendra's bag that had 'KAZE' stitched on it. Haruna picked it up and asked

"What's this?" She was intrigued by the beautiful cursive stitching. Haruna tried to peek inside the bag until Zazie suddenly shouted

"No!" Zazie desperately snatched the bag out of Haruna's hands and held it tightly in her own. Setsuna and Konoka stared at Zazie in surprise while Haruna grinned, knowing that something has to be up between her and Kendra now. Zazie was quite surprised herself at her sudden reaction.

"Oh ho! That's rare. What could be so important in that bag to make you talk and panic like that?" Haruna asked while rubbing her chin with her right hand, her glasses shining with amusement. Zazie just ignored her and didn't say a word, but she never loosened her grip on Kendra's bag. Zazie's feelings of distress never showed on her face but her hands were shaking and she tensed up. Konoka noticed her body language and said

"Paru-chan, that's enough, can't you see you're scaring Zazie?" Konoka gave Haruna a scolding look and Setsuna did so as well.

"Konochan's right, Haruna. You should just leave it alone. If they do have a secret or whatever it's for them to keep secret or tell; not ours." _'Hey, hey, why am I getting double teamed?'_ Haruna thought as she sweat dropped and sighed.

"Hai, hai. I get it. I actually don't have a notepad to draw notes on so I give up…just for today." Haruna grinned somewhat evilly at her last three words and that look didn't make Zazie feel any better. She had no reassuring thoughts; only worries _'just for today…I'm only safe today. I have to be careful; Haruna can sniff out anything suspicious in a heartbeat. Also, from what I've seen, she seems to be in an alliance with our class reporter, Kazumi. With them working together, a rumor that's either false or true would spread through the entire class in less than a few hours.'_ Zazie could feel her throat become dry just from the thought of that happening. _'No. I can't let that happen, because if they find out about us, about how I feel…'_ Zazie's train of thought suddenly began to confuse her. She wondered why she felt so paranoid if people found out about her feelings for Kendra. It wasn't like she was ashamed of it. Zazie thought deeply about it; trying to read her heart's true intentions. _'Why am I so against it? Perhaps…I just don't want it public until…I know our feelings are mutual. That would make sense, I mean; I don't just want people knowing I'm in a one-sided love interest with my best friend. But…then again, it is most likely that Kendra could feel the same way. All the things she's done for me and how she was always by my side, a friend wouldn't do that just for the reason that they are in fact just your friend, right? But what if Kendra only sees me as younger sister that she deeply cares about and she didn't ha-'_ Zazie's mental rant was cut short when Haruna suddenly yelled at a passing by waiter.

"Excuse meee! Could we have our orders taken? "Once again, Setsuna and Konoka sweat dropped at Haruna. Not because she called over a waiter, they were actually planning to eat something; but the waiter was standing no more than 2 feet away, so yelling in the poor guy's ear was unnecessary. While Haruna was telling the orders Zazie's mind slowly fell back into her thoughts about her very reason of confusion, desire, and distress which was Kendra. _'I just don't have the confidence anymore. I'm too scared that Kendra won't return my feelings and if she doesn't return them, will we still be friends? Will I end up losing my most cherished person?'_ Zazie felt cornered between the risk of telling Kendra her feelings or staying as friends like in the past. She felt so lost but most of all, she felt angry; angry with herself. She couldn't believe how insecure her heart was, nothing has ever made her chest tighten with pain like this for years, and it made her angry that she couldn't get it under control. Nothing and no one but Kendra has ever putted such heavy, emotional burdens upon her. For years emotions were seen as nothing more than a mere nuisance that she could easily swat away like a fly. Every day was calm and stress free, but it was also dull and boring; lifeless. Until Kendra shows up and causes her to feel things she never thought she'd feel ever again, the uncomfortable feeling of being open, doing things she'd never normally do, and making her feel alive again. Without her, Zazie wouldn't feel alive, that one part of her that carried her humanity was left behind with Kendra 7 years ago, and now brought back to her. Zazie was starting to remember what it felt like to have the true aspect of humanity again, emotions. Even though she was half demon, and Kendra knew, she was still cared for by her for who she was and stayed by her. Zazie concluded in her mind that she needed Kendra, without her, she would lose that precious piece of humanity that she had… _'And I shouldn't care about what others think either!'_ Zazie knew for sure now, she wasn't scared to tell her how she felt. No matter what happens, she knows that Kendra wouldn't leave her side, not that easily. A small grin formed on Zazie's lips along with a small blush that was a very light shade of pink. Luckily, no one was looking at Zazie to notice the happiness on her face.

Kendra was finally returning from dumping their food in the trash. Kendra didn't even bother sitting down and just stared at Zazie. Before she said anything, she realized Zazie had a pleasant smile and beautifully flushed face. Kendra's eyes widened a little for only a millisecond before the other girls could see. She cleared her throat and said

"How 'bout we head on back to da dorms now?" Kendra asked while also realizing that Zazie had the bag held quite securely in her hands. _'Did sumthin' happen while I was gone?'_ Kendra thought. Zazie knew that attention was drawn to her by Kendra's question and that she still had flushed cheeks. She tried to suppress the blush but a second is definitely not enough time; everyone already turned and looked at Zazie. Setsuna just stared with a slight surprised expression, Konoka just grinned widely, and Haruna pushed her glasses up, really wishing she had her notepad right now; she felt the plot bunnies start to hop around in her mind for her next Yuri manga.

"Y-yes. I am about ready t-to head back now." Zazie stuttered. She felt her blank, innocent mask crumble to show her nervousness and deep red blush. Haruna got up to let Zazie up out of her seat. Zazie walked up and stood next to Kendra; Kendra still had on her bored expression even though she was dying from how cute Zazie's face looked right now. Before Kendra was about to walk off with Zazie she looked over at the three girls and said

"Don't expect me to pay for your food. Where I'm from, we don't play dat. Lending money to someone is like havin' ya money stolen from ya. Da only exception is fo' family membas or a good friend." Kendra stared coldly at them. Setsuna couldn't help but feel so familiar with the stare she was receiving from Kendra. It looked like the same face Setsuna would give people if they insulted or hurt Konoka in any way. Setsuna looked back at Kendra with an all knowing smile and reassured

"Don't worry. We're covering our own bills." Kendra slightly nodded at Setsuna and started to leave until yet another occurrence caused her to stop in her tracks. Zazie did what Kendra really didn't see coming; she kissed Kendra on the cheek yet again and held her hand. Kendra finally reached her limit and blushed crimson red. Her eyes were wide and her vision was locked into Zazie's own. _'I'm not afraid anymore. I don't care if people know how I feel about her'_ Zazie thought happily. 'Awwws' and clapping could be heard throughout the diner as the other teen couples watched what happen. _'They ain't got nothin' betta' to do like, oh I don't know, concentrate on their freakin' dates!'_ Kendra was too embarrassed to yell 'mind your business 'at everyone and just left the diner while lightly tugging Zazie along with her. Haruna chuckled at Kendra's innocent reaction,_ 'I knew she had an innocent side; trying to act all tough in front of Zazie'_ Setsuna and Konoka had similar thoughts as well. Setsuna looked down at her wrist watch and noticed that it was getting a little late.

"We should head back too as soon as we finish eating, it's getting late." Setsuna suggested. It was hard to notice the time of day outside because there were no windows. So it would always look the same inside and people could easily lose track of time. Kendra and Zazie noticed this as well as they walked to the nearest bus stop hand-in-hand. The sun was almost completely set and the street lamp posts were already on. They didn't pay the time of day any mind because both girls were still very flustered from today's events. Neither of them would even dare to look at the other for any longer than five seconds. The walk was engulfed in awkward silence and once again; neither of the girls enjoyed it and no one was brave enough to break the stuffy atmosphere. With both girls being so nervous, their caution and senses of safety were easily clouded; for they didn't realize a group of tall figures were slowly stalking them, chuckling menacingly in the shadows…

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><p>Uh-oh! Who's in the shadows? Find out next chapter and for now...please leave reviews!<p> 


	7. Chapter 7

Diclaimer: I do not own Negima or any of its characters.

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><p><strong>Chapter 7<strong>

As Kendra and Zazie were walking to the bus stop, a small plop of water suddenly fell on Zazie's nose. Zazie halted and stared at the sky, Kendra stopped as well.

"Whassup?" Kendra asked.

"I felt something wet hit my-"another drop plopped on her face, then another, and another. Kendra was also having droplets of water hit her face. _'Weird…the forecast said it wouldn't rain today'_ Zazie thought as she saw gray clouds creep across the night sky; smothering the stars in melancholy fluffiness.

"Looks like it's 'bout to rain." Kendra said while slipping off her jacket. Kendra quickly tented Zazie's head with her jacket, causing Zazie to tear her gaze away from the sky back at Kendra.

"Oh! You don't have to give me your jacket Kendra. I'll be fi-"

"No. **I'll** be fine, but I don't want you to catch a cold, so use this to cover your head." Kendra's face was serious and had a determined look in her eyes. Zazie knew what that look meant. It meant that Kendra was not going to take no for an answer. Zazie hasn't seen Kendra act so serious in a long time, even before she left for Japan. She couldn't help but blush at the sight before her and she felt her mouth go dry.

Kendra didn't have anything to cover her head, so the rain had already completely soaked her hair. The wetness caused her hair to become naturally wavy; with those same strands still barely covering her eye. Rain droplets streamed down her face along her finely shaped jaw and down to her collar bone. She was unfazed by the rain though and kept her determined expression, with her eyes filled with a glimpse of responsibility and maturity. Zazie couldn't help but let her eyes scan Kendra from top to bottom to top again; paying extra close attention to how Kendra's soaked uniform stuck to her body. _'Beautiful'_ was all Zazie could think. Kendra blushed a little and her eyes widened; she looked away in the distance and said

"Yeah…in a way. The rain is beautiful." Kendra said stretching out her hand to feel the droplets in her palm. Zazie immediately clasped her mouth with her hand and then blushed two darker shades of red. _'I said it out loud? I could've sworn I thought that she was beautiful, not said it!'_ Zazie knew at the moment that even mentally kicking herself wouldn't be enough for a huge slip of the tongue like that. She wanted to confess her feelings fully and consciously, not on accident like an idiot. Luckily for her though, Kendra assumed that Zazie was saying that the rain looked beautiful, not her. Zazie nodded and replied

"I would always watch the rain in my bed through my window. I love to enjoy the beautiful view before I fall asleep."

"Yeah…I do that sometimes to…" _'I'm such an idiot. Gettin' my hopes up like dat, it's obvious she's talkin' 'bout the rain, not me. But I just had to go and blush like dat and get the wrong idea…baka.'_ Kendra thought.

CLAP, CLAP, CLAP

Kendra and Zazie immediately snapped their heads around at the clapping noise.

"Awww well isn't that cute…" a cocky voice said. The voice belonged to a tall, skinny man surrounded by 4 other men. The night shadows covered their faces in darkness. Kendra could spot an uncomfortable situation from a mile away and felt her face cringe.

"Yeah, yeah, I already know Zazie's cute; no need to state the obvious. Now then, if y'all excuse us…" Kendra grabbed Zazie's hand and turned around in an attempt to escape. Kendra stopped as three of the men blocked their ways of exit and the last two still behind them.

"Come on now. No need rush off; we just thought we could have some fun. Besides, fine ladies like you shouldn't be out in town at night all alone. So let us adults accompany you." The skinny figure said smugly. _'Great, looks like he's not gonna let us go easily. I don' really wanna do anythin' too much in front of Zazie.'_

"Look, we'll be fine on our own, a'ight? So just leave already!" Kendra's voice became louder and sterner with every word. Her calm facial expression didn't change though; Kendra wasn't going to show any weakness or emotion to please these sleazebags. The tall figure grinned widely and his smile could be seen in the darkness. He took a few steps closer into the light from the street light up above; his face could be seen quite clearly now, although Kendra now wished she couldn't. His face had boney features and a pointy chin; he looked like he was emaciated. His eyes were thin and had a few bags under them. He had oily hair that was slicked back, an ear piercing on his left ear, and he had a thin mustache that connected to his 5 o'clock shadow. _'To sum it all up, he looks like a middle-aged crack head!'_ Kendra thought with disgust. The man stared at Zazie with a hungry look and then over at Kendra.

"And what if we don't leave? It's not like anyone's gonna come to your rescue anytime soon." He chuckled as he waved his arm out to the streets. No one was to be seen, mostly because of the time of day and the fact that it's raining. Most of the stores were closed as well. Kendra felt her teeth grind; she hated to admit that he was right; no one was around to see. _'Damn. So I really have to do it the hard way? Ugh, I didn' want our reunion to go like dis! But…to keep Zazie safe, all of dat don' matter at the moment.'_ Kendra closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. As she opened her eyes she saw the other four men step into the light as well; every one of them was eyeballing Zazie. Kendra immediately took notice of this and pushed Zazie behind her.

"Zazie…please don't judge me for this" Kendra whispered without breaking her gaze from the oily haired man. Zazie looked up at Kendra with a worried and confused look.

"Kendra, what are you thinking? Don't try to handle this yourself, we have to get help!" Zazie shouted while tugging on Kendra's arm. Kendra didn't budge an inch.

"I don't think they plannin' on lettin' us go anytime soon to find help, Zazie…please, just stand back." Kendra's hands balled up tightly into fists and they were shaking; her grip so tight that it dug into her own flesh. Zazie realized Kendra's arms tensed up and her face frowned in utter hatred; her eyes were glaring at the men through her wavy strands of black, soaked hair. _'Oh my god…she's actually going to fight them on her own'_ Zazie thought in disbelief and fear.

"Are you two done chatting yet? I'm ready to claim my prize already!" the tall man said with a cocky voice. He gave Zazie one more look, a look filled with lust and eagerness; Zazie's legs unintentionally shook with fear. All five men laughed and also gave the girls eager stares. Kendra could feel her disgust and hatred grow with every chuckle. Her eyes narrowed in anger, her teeth grinding harder, her fists tightening more, and her gaze locked on the skinny smut in front of her. Kendra slowly opened her mouth; struggling to stop her teeth from clenching.

"Get your filthy gazes off of **my** Zazie! And keep her out of your **damn** sick fantasies! Don't think of touching her either, or I swear, I'll break my foot off in every nook and cranny of your worthless,** fucking**bodies!" The group of men laughed again.

"Aw, she's so cute, trying to act all tough! You sure about that kid? You wanna take on 5 grown men on your own? Man, little girls are dumb as hell these days!" the tall man mocked.

"Dumb is just my type!" A chubby man in the back of the group added.

"Anyways, little girlie, don't make this hard and just listen to the adults here." The tall man walked up to Kendra. He stopped and his thin, baggy eyes lingered on Kendra, then over to Zazie who was still shaking scared. He smiled and reached out to place a hand on Zazie's shoulder. Zazie flinched and began to panic as the rough, boney hand inched towards her. She squeezed her eyes shut, hoping to wake up any moment from this nightmare.

PACK!

Zazie quickly snapped her eyes open, then they widened in surprise. The man who was reaching for Zazie merely seconds ago was now sitting on the wet ground; one arm holding him up and his other hand cover his left cheek. Kendra was standing above him, her chest heaved with puffs of anger and her hands were clenched. She slightly bent down in a fighting position; her facial expression showing anger beyond measure; anger that Zazie never seen before. He slowly removed his hand and winced in pain at his throbbing cheek. It was beginning to swell badly and a bruise was forming. He glared up at Kendra in anger.

"You little bitch!" He yelled as he tried to trip Kendra with a leg sweep. Kendra avoided his sweep and jumped up. She landed on the man's body with her knees crushing into his ribs. A loud and disgusting crack could be heard through the noise of rain beating against cement sidewalks and buildings.

"Aughhh!(Cough, cough)" the man yelled out in pain. Before he could let out another yell of pain, Kendra landed a powerful right hook across his face; knocking him unconscious. Kendra looked at him with a cold glare.

"I told you not to touch Zazie, asshole." Kendra's voice shook with anger. She slowly rose up and turned around at the other four men.

"One down, four to go…" Kendra said as she walked towards them while dragging her feet against the wet cement; making a scraping sound that sent chills down the men's spine. Three of them swallowed hard and took a step back, but the chubby one snaked through the group to the front. He had a brown mop top that covered his eyebrows, if he had any, and a fat face that were red at his cheeks and nose. His eyes were tilted and he had fat lips. Kendra smirked darkly at his appearance, _'here piggy, piggy…'_ Kendra thought.

"Come on guys! Don't punk out now! Don't you see what happened to Simon? Let's get some pay back, she's just a little school girl!" the chubby man shouted. The other three men hesitated for a moment but felt their confidence slowly come back. They all shouted and charged after Kendra all at once.

"You should've run with your tail between your legs like proper little **mutts**…" Kendra said while getting back into her stance. One man came swinging down with a left overhand; Kendra leaned to allow his arm to slide along her shoulder. She moved in and landed a left elbow on his chest, the blow caused him to stumble back in pain. Kendra took advantage of the opening and leapt forward in the air and landed a haymaker right square across his face. The man lost his balance and nearly fell over from dizziness, Kendra quickly swung a left uppercut under his chin; sending him flying back to land on his back. Saliva and blood spurted out of his mouth. Now he was unconscious. The two henchmen stared at their comrade who was easily taken down in 3 hits, but the chubby man paid no mind and shouted

"What are you looking for? He's trash anyways just keep fighting!" The two men snapped out of their fearful trance and immediately responded 'yes'. One of the two men had blonde hair and a pipe for a weapon, the other was a red head and had a pipe as well. Kendra cracked her knuckles and smirked even wider.

"Two down, three to go." Both of the men swung their pipes at Kendra, one aimed for her side and the other aimed for her head. She blocked each pipe with her forearms and dodged the many other swings that cut through the air, just barely missing her. The blond man swung down with his pipe and missed again. He putted too much force into it and caused himself to briefly lose balance, Kendra elbowed down hard on the back of his head. She was about to land the finishing blow but the red head swung and hit her right side; the blond man quickly pulled himself together and got back up, pipe still in his grasp. Kendra ignored her aching side and turned her attention to the red head. He aimed for her side again, trying to worsen her throbbing wound, but Kendra saw it coming and caught it in her hand. She yanked it towards her and had the red head stumbling to her as well. _'Idiot should've just let go…'_ Kendra thought. A straight left landed on his face and broke his nose. Blood dripped down over his lips and plopped into a puddle of rain. He quickly released his pipe and held his face, cursing under his breath. Without a second thought, Kendra grabbed him by his hood and back of his jacket and threw him into the brick walls of a building. His head crashed into the wall and he slumped down to the cold, wet ground out cold.

"Three down, two to go." Kendra muttered under her breath.

Zazie just stared in awe. She's never seen Kendra act so viscous, furious and… cool. As much as she wanted to think about how amazing Kendra was, she couldn't help but worry about her right side. She could see Kendra slightly wince in pain when she leaned to her right. Zazie wanted to come to her side in aid but she would only get in the way right now; so she had no choice but to watch.

Kendra kneeled down next to the unconscious red head and put two fingers to his neck, _'good, he's still alive'_ Kendra thought in slight relief, just **slight** relief. She stood and looked at the blond who was shaking but still holding his ground. Kendra sighed and looked at his fearing eyes.

"You could make this less hard and just leave and never bother us again. For Christ sake, it looks like you're 'bout to wet yourself." The blond man didn't listen and still held up his pipe. He let out a yell and charged after her with the pipe raised above his head. Kendra shook her head in disappointment and her face became angry again _'dumbass'._ Kendra brought up her right leg and made contact to the back of his head. The torque in her kick forced his head to the ground in a loud thud with her ankle resting on the back of his neck. She was on her right knee and her right hand pressed firm against the ground. She stared momentarily at a puddle and saw her reflection. She hated what she saw; her face was cringed in fiery rage. Her body ached for more violence, adrenaline, and hatred; even though her mind and heart didn't want it, her subconscious screamed for more. Kendra snapped her head up and diverted her gaze away from the repulsing image. The only one left was the large man; he was all alone to face the little vessel of anger that was Kendra. Kendra lightly chuckled at what she saw before her. He was shaking like a leaf, his tilted eyes were squinted, and his lower lip was shivering.

"Four down, one to go." _'Don't tell me he's gonna cry. Who's the kid now?'_ Kendra said and thought in amusement. Kendra crept up to him and stood right beside him; she was facing the opposite direction of him and stared off into the drizzling rain. She exhaled slowly and placed a hand on his shoulder; he jumped at her touch and was shaking even harder. His mouth became dry; he was too afraid to even utter a word and felt his legs buckle. Kendra began to talk in a low and calm voice that only the man could hear; she had her cold and emotionless mask on again.

"Have you ever…heard of an American who nearly killed a burglar…that raided their home a few weeks ago?" The chubby man's eyes widened and simply shook his head 'yes'. It was on national news, although he didn't hear the details, he heard it was a young girl that did it.

"What would you think if I said…dat I was that American? It was truly an experience for me; the first time I saw dat blood I just fell into a trance of pure adrenaline. I began to mercilessly beat him with random objects and when I saw that kitchen knife…well, you know the rest." Kendra said amused. She smelled a sour stench and looked down, the poor man wetted himself. Kendra chuckled even louder this time and leaned in to whisper into his ear.

"Lucky for the burglar, the police held me back from killing him…you could be just as lucky if you just turn around, and run…for your life." He did just as he was told and dashed into the rain until he couldn't be seen. Kendra let out a huge sigh of relief as her arms dangled from exhaustion and pain from blocking those pipes _'who would've thought he'd believe such a lie?'_ Kendra thought. She turned around and saw Zazie who was staring at her with her eyes wide open; she also had a blush across her face which confused Kendra a bit._ 'Why's she blushin'? Shouldn't she be scared or somethin'?'_ Kendra shrugged and didn't think about it anymore. She walked over to Zazie and smiled warmly.

"Come on Zazie, we should really get goin' if you don't wanna miss dat bus."

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><p>My first attempt at a quick fight scene! Tell me what you guys think in the reviews! X)<p> 


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I do not own Negima or any of its characters...do I have to do this every chapter? I'm tired of doing this disclaimer already! DX

'(present time thoughts)'

_**'(thoughts in flashback)'**_

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><p><strong>Chapter 8<strong>

Kendra felt a jolt of pain shoot threw her arms as she stretched her hand out to Zazie but ignored it and smiled happily. Zazie was at a lost. Her thoughts were everywhere and didn't know what she wanted to do. Take Kendra's hand and run to the bus stop, hug Kendra like crazy and ask her how she could fight like that, or even give into the overwhelming urge of kissing the girl right there and then. Once again her mind started flashing 'specific' little scenarios that is too explicit for her to handle at one time. She wobbled a little but quickly regained her balance before Kendra tried to catch her. Kendra looked at Zazie worriedly and asked

"Are you feelin' a'ight Zazie? Why are you stumblin' around? Oh no…you're sick from the rain aren't you? Do you have a fever? Here, let me check!" Kendra said in a panic as she pushed her wavy strands of hair from her face. Kendra gently placed her forehead on Zazie's after brushing back her bangs as well. They were so close that their noses almost touched; this made Zazie blush a dark shade of red and she felt her resistance fade away yet again as she stared into Kendra's hazel eyes. Her entire body nearly melted and felt all of her restrictions break. Zazie had a glazed look in her eyes. As Kendra pulled away Zazie let out a disappointed groan.

"No, put your forehead back there…it felt nice" Kendra blushed at the sudden and unusual request but did as she was asked. Kendra pressed her forehead against Zazie's again, this time they were staring into each other's eyes deeply with both girls blushing. Kendra felt nervous at the unusual glazed look in Zazie's eyes and mumbled.

"Ummm, Zazie, why are we-"before Kendra could finish her sentence Zazie wrapped her arms around Kendra's neck and brought her closer; their faces were nearly centimeters away. Even though the cold rain drizzled, Zazie's body warmth made Kendra heat up. Zazie whispered three little words under her breath but it was perfectly audible to Kendra.

"I love you…" Zazie gently pressed her lips against Kendra's into a long, passionate kiss. Kendra's eyes were wide open in surprise but they fluttered close as she kissed back. Kendra put her hands on Zazie's waist and pulled her closer. The rain continued to drizzle and soak the two girls, neither of them wanting to pull away from the blissful sensation. It felt as if a strong yet painless shock of electricity were running through their bodies and intensifying even more by the second. Zazie could practically hear the chains of her restraint snapping apart in her mind and slowly being replaced with a renewed and tightened bond between her and Kendra. After what seemed like an eternity to the two girls which were only a few minutes; they reluctantly pulled away from each other, panting heavily. Kendra's cheeks were stained the darkest shade of red she ever had in front of Zazie. Zazie smiled sweetly at how embarrassed Kendra looked and thought that it was really cute to see her act so innocent; completely different than how she was with those men she fought. Kendra stared at the ground and mumbled something but Zazie couldn't hear. She leaned closer, her arms wrapped around Kendra practically trembling from the emotions she was feeling right now. The half-demon whispered fragilely to Kendra.

"Speak louder…and tell me what you're feeling right now." Kendra stared at the wet cement ground for a few more moments; keeping completely silent. Finally, she looked back up with a determined expression and said

"I-I love you too… Zazie" Zazie could feel tears starting to form in the corner of her eyes. She never felt so happy and began crying tears of joy that only Kendra could truly make her do. Kendra smiled warmly at Zazie and gave her a quick kiss before saying.

"How 'bout we go now? I'm really soaked and I want to get into somethin' dry…also" Kendra's arms dropped from Zazie's waist; they were limp. Kendra hissed in pain when she tried to lift her arms but failed. She looked back at Zazie sheepishly and said

"My arms are numb and stingin' from the pipes and cold rain. So let's go, ne?" Zazie agreed and helped Kendra to quickly walk to the bus stop; they could still make it if they really hurried.

"Oh and Zazie, when we get back, don' tell anyone what happened today. I don' want people knowin' that I beat up 5 old dudes, you know? It's a lil' early for me to come out wit everythin' and all." This made Zazie think about her recent worry of whether or not to let people know what she felt for Kendra public. She looked up at Kendra and asked slowly

"Does that include not telling anyone about, you know…us?" Zazie felt uneasy to ask such a question at the moment but she had to know. Kendra gave Zazie a surprised stare and then grinned.

"It depends…do you want them to know? I don't care which you pick, as long as I got you…the whole world could know for all I care." Zazie's eyes lightened up with hope and hugged Kendra gently, trying not to squeeze her bruised abdomen. She buried her face into Kendra's left shoulder and said

"It's alright, I think we can wait a little…besides, I'm just happy that you feel that way. It's been nagging in my thoughts all day, wondering whether or not to make my feelings public or if you even liked me the same way I did. I'm just relieved to know you're not against it…thank you." Kendra blushed deeply but didn't look down at Zazie. As they continued to walk down the sidewalk their conversation depleted quickly because Kendra was at a loss for words to explain how happy she felt at the moment. Yet again, their moment of silence still wasn't perfect; something felt missing and both of the girls knew this. They were fortunately able to catch a bus back to Mahora academy despite how late it was. Zazie and Kendra were holding hands during their ride; the atmosphere seemed so gloomy though. The inside of the bus was cold, the smell of fresh rain occupied every single ounce of air, they were the only passengers, but most of all, the bus driver wasn't exactly the jolly type. Everything around them felt so dead. Zazie leaned closely against Kendra feeling uneasy and nervous. Kendra immediately took notice and hugged Zazie; resting Zazie's head in the crook of her neck. Kendra then gently kissed her on the forehead and said

"I'm here Zazie. You don' have to worry." _'I'll always be here…'_ Kendra thought as Zazie sighed contently and smiled. Zazie felt so warm in Kendra's embrace that she could have fallen asleep right there feeling like the safest girl alive. Kendra felt nearly the same as she brushed away strands of hair that would dangle over Zazie's face every few minutes. She would brush the hair away so carefully and softly as if she didn't, then she would break her precious, fragile treasure. _'My one and only treasure…'_ Kendra thought lovingly.

Once they finally arrived back to the Mahora campus grounds, Kendra suggested walking Zazie back to her dorm room.

"I mean, only if that's okay wit you…" Kendra muttered as she stared at the wet grass shyly. Zazie hugged Kendra's left arm and said

"I would love that, Kendra." Zazie cuddled with Kendra as they walked across the campus grounds but separated, to their dismay, as they entered the middle school girl dorms. _'Why? Even though I cleared everything up with Kendra, why am I still scared for people to find out?'_ Zazie thought, feeling irritated with her confusing desires. Zazie felt frustrated but shut out her emotions with her blank expression; she didn't want to worry Kendra over her unstable thoughts and feelings. Kendra also changed her expression from happy and flustered to cold and still, but she still occasionally winced in pain at her still throbbing side and forearms. Zazie glanced over at Kendra whenever she hissed lightly in pain; feeling worry clouding her thoughts, she turned to Kendra and said

"We should take care of your injuries. I know someone who can heal your injuries quickly." Zazie tugged on Kendra's arm to show her plead and worry. Kendra thought about it reluctantly but looked over to Zazie; she was wearing the most thoughtful, pleading, and cutest expression that Kendra couldn't possibly resist.

"Okay, okay… I get it. We can go to this person you're talkin' 'bout after I stop by my room and get changed real quick." Zazie reverted back to her blank expression but relief could easily be seen in her eyes. They found Kendra's room and entered; Kendra started searching through her boxes and found one with 'clothes' written on it in marker. Zazie sat on Kendra's bed and looked around her room, realizing how empty and plain it looked. _'That's odd. Usually Kendra has her best artwork hanging on the walls along with posters and other stuff…but there's nothing at all.'_ Zazie watched Kendra pull out a red, South Carolina Gamecocks sweatshirt, black jeans, and black socks. Kendra looked at Zazie and asked

"Shouldn't you get into dry clothes as well? I could lend you some of my sweats or somethin'." Zazie shook her head and smiled at Kendra; a light blush staining her cheeks.

"I'm not that wet. Your jacket shielded the rain pretty well from my head. It's just that…" Zazie looked down at her left arm and squeezed the jacket that was bundled up within her grasp.

"It's just that, it's funny…how I never realized I still had your jacket. I completely forgot I had it from the time those guys showed up 'til now. I just unconsciously gripped it and also…" Zazie unbundled the jacket to reveal the black, velvet bag.

"I forgot I was holding this as well. I guess it was only natural to lose sight of your surroundings after such an unforgettable experience." Kendra blushed as she remembered the first kiss they shared together in the rain. After a moment of awkward silence Kendra cleared her throat and said

"Okay, well…um…thank you for keepin' hold of my jacket and…uh, if you really think you're okay wit what you're wearin' right now, then… then dat's fine." Zazie nodded slowly at Kendra's jumbled up response. _'She's fumbling over her words all of a sudden, what brought that on?'_ Kendra picked up her chosen set of clothes and walked into the bathroom to change. Zazie waited patiently on her bed and realized it wasn't a double-bunk bed; there was only one. _'So she doesn't have a roommate huh? Perhaps I could give her company every now and again. I could even have occasional sleep overs with her just like before. That would be…fun.'_ Zazie felt her lewd thoughts creep up from the back of her head but immediately shoved them back to wherever they came from as the bathroom door knob clicked. Kendra came out of the bathroom with her clothes changed and the wet ones balled up into her arms. Kendra threw them into her dirty laundry basket and told Zazie

"You can just throw that jacket into the dirty basket and leave the bag on my bed." Zazie did as she was told and stood next to Kendra, ready to guide her to who she said could heal her injuries. They exited her room and began to walk down the hall; of course not before Kendra turned off her lights and locked the door. Zazie stopped in front of the door of their reached destination; she looked back at Kendra and could tell she was still wary about getting healed by someone she didn't even know. Zazie stole a kiss from Kendra's lips and said

"Don't worry. She's really nice, her roommates too. I'm sure you'll get along with them." Before Kendra could respond Zazie knocked on the door calmly.

"Coming!" A spunky and loud voice yelled from behind the door. The girl who answered the door was Asuna. Her eyes widened in surprise to see the quietest girl in their class, Zazie and the new mysterious student, Kendra to show up at her door.

"Uhm…is there something that you need, Zazie-San, Kendra-San?" Zazie nodded and pointed her finger at herself and Kendra, and then she pointed into her dorm room. Asuna quickly caught on and said.

"Oh! Of course you can. Come in and sit down wherever you want." This time both Kendra and Zazie nodded as they entered. Asuna wasn't the only one there; Negi, Konoka, and Setsuna were also there. They were all seated at the table eating the dinner that Konoka prepared. Negi looked up surprised to see Zazie visit their room but wasn't disappointed to see his students either.

"Hello Zazie-San, Kendra-San. Is there something that you need assistance with or did you perhaps just wanted to have dinner with us?" Konoka smiled brightly and added

"I have plenty of dinner left over for you two if you want any." Zazie looked over at Kendra waiting for a response. Kendra stared down Konoka with a cold gaze, a gaze so cold that it sent chills down Konoka's spine; she still kept a strained smile though. A few moments later Kendra's eyes softened and then she replied.

"A'ight." Asuna, Negi, and Konoka all raised an eyebrow in confusion. _'What did she say?'_ they all thought, but Setsuna didn't seem confused at all. Setsuna rested her head on her hand while leaning on the table and said

"She said alright. She'll eat with us." Now everyone turned and looked at Setsuna shocked. Even Zazie and Kendra turned their attention to Setsuna. _'So she can actually understand my country accent huh? Well…I guess that's a bit of a relief'_ Kendra thought. Zazie felt relieved too but maybe even a ping of jealousy as well. She felt that being the only one to understand Kendra was something special only they could share, but she didn't want to believe such selfish thoughts and didn't think about it anymore. Konoka looked at Setsuna dumbfounded before asking

"Secchan, how do you know what she's saying?"

"Oh, well…it's not like what she's saying is too difficult to figure out. It seems like all Kendra-San's doing is leaving out the last or middle letter in a word." Setsuna said. _'Actually, that's mostly right. Heh, sword girl here seems pretty cool, she's goin' on the top of my homies list'_ Kendra thought; on the inside she was feeling satisfied that at least someone besides Zazie could understand her, not that she didn't enjoy only talking to Zazie.

"O-okay then, well…um, I'll go get you two some food. You can sit at the table; there's plenty of room." Konoka said as she went into the kitchen. Kendra and Zazie nodded and seated themselves at the table. Kendra sat next to Negi who was also next to Setsuna. Zazie sat to the right of Asuna; Konoka's seat was to Asuna's left. Kendra looked around at everyone and realized that they were sitting properly except for Asuna and herself. _'Tch! They can sit like dat if they want to; it looks uncomfortable for Christ sake! How their legs ain't numb? Well whatever, I'm gonna' sit here wit my legs unbent and relaxed.'_ Kendra thought smugly as she leaned back while using her hands to rest against the carpet and support her weight. That didn't last long though; Kendra forgot that her forearms were still sore from the fight and she quickly collapsed on the floor in a loud 'thud'. Everyone looked down at Kendra worried; Konoka was as well as she came back with their dinner. Kendra didn't pay their stares any mind and just lay on the floor while staring at the ceiling, _'well…dat was embarrassin' '_ Kendra thought. She swiftly sat up and saw Konoka holding their two plates of food. Now food, Kendra would notice.

"Oh snap, dat looks good. I ain't really eat much today either. So you know how to whip up dat grub?" Interest could slightly be heard in her voice but her bored expression never faltered. Konoka placed the plates on the table and sat down. She looked at Setsuna and grinned.

"Secchan…what did she say?" Konoka asked so innocently that even Kendra couldn't get annoyed at her actions; but she still wasn't happy about it.

"She said that-"

"She said that Konoka-San's food looks good and that she hasn't eaten a lot today. Also, she asked Konoka-San if she knew how to cook." Zazie said bluntly, interrupting Setsuna in the process. Kendra couldn't help but let a smile form on her lips, _'she's jealous…'_ Kendra thought happily. Setsuna stared at Zazie who was blushing and looking down, then over at Kendra who was smiling. _'Oh, I get it.'_ Setsuna thought. Asuna noticed this as well and felt a big grin creep across her lips.

"Wow that was unexpected. But, I could've sworn Konoka-San asked Setsuna-San to translate. Could it possibly be that you're…upset about something, Zazie-San?" Asuna asked wickedly. Zazie mentally smacked herself for such an unnecessary outburst, _'why did I do that? Great, now everyone's attention is on me; this is so uncomfortable…'_ Zazie looked away from everyone so they couldn't see that her blush was becoming even darker. Although Zazie avoided eye contact, Kendra could tell all too well that Zazie wasn't enjoying the situation. _'Awww. I wish I could see her act dis cute some more right now but dat would seem kinda' selfish. So…'_ Kendra's smile dropped and stared at Asuna.

"A'ight wicked witch of the west, wipe dat smile off yo' face. Can't you see you makin' Zazie feel uncomfortable? Besides, we need to get down to business about why we're really here." Kendra said bluntly. Asuna's smile dropped too and was quickly replaced with a frown.

"Who's a wicked witch! I should come over there and kick-"Asuna was about to walk over to Kendra but was held back by Negi and Setsuna.

"C-calm down Asuna-San! Don't do anything rash!" Negi pleaded while struggling to hold back the angry red-head.

"Yeah! I'm sure she was just trying to help Zazie-San; she didn't mean it!" Setsuna said. Konoka just sat calmly in her seat as she watched the spectacle before her; giggling every now and then.

"Ara, things just never change with these three." Konoka commented. Kendra completely ignored them and scooted over next to Zazie and whispered

"Are you okay? Don't worry I'll make sure dat Asuna or anyone else won't mess wit'cha. So how 'bout we get these injuries of mines healed and we can leave. Then I can finally give you your present." At the last few words Kendra sneaked a quick kiss on Zazie's lips as she pulled away; the others didn't notice because they were too busy calming Asuna down. After nearly five minutes of trying to get Asuna to calm down, she finally did. She was sitting on her bunk bed, still quite angry of course, with her arms folded and glaring at Kendra; never letting her eyes leave her. Kendra didn't mind or care, she would occasionally glare back at Asuna with just as much aggression. As Kendra was calmly eating; she finally decided to break the awkward silence and said

"The reason I came here is because Zazie said one of y'all can heal my injuries real quick."

"Eh?" Konoka, Negi, Asuna, and Setsuna all shouted at the same time. Negi soon became worried and asked Kendra

"I-injuries? What happened, how did you get hurt?" Kendra sighed and took a sip of her tea that Konoka also prepared for her.

"Don' worry teach. It was just a lil' accident dat happened while I was out in da streets today; ain't nothin' important."

"Out in the streets? Nothing important? Of course it's important, Kendra-San, but aside from that, why didn't you go to the school nurse?" Negi asked, feeling his worry grow every second.

"Because of two reasons. One, Zazie told me to come here, not the school nurse; and two; I've been gettin' this weird feelin' off of you guys lately. Like a specific little surge of energy…**magic** energy; I felt it off of the other students in dat class as well. So I became interested and thought I'd check y'all out." Zazie whipped her head around to look at Kendra with surprise; she didn't expect Kendra to just come out and say it like that. _'Although, it is expected. She's been around me for years and gotten use to the feeling of magic; especially since I'm the source most of the time'_ Zazie thought. Negi paled as she heard Kendra's second reason, _'don't tell me she found out about magic…'_ Asuna jumped off of her bunk bed and eyeballed Kendra. Setsuna gripped her sword, Yuunagi, and stared down Kendra as well, _'another spy?...'_ Setsuna thought. Konoka felt the tension in the atmosphere rising and slowly slid back. _'Damn. Why everybody so serious?'_ Kendra thought; she continued to sip her tea and remained calm. Zazie was about to stand up and try to reassure everyone that she wasn't an enemy but Kendra placed her hand on Zazie's shoulder and stared into her eyes.

"Zazie, it's okay…I can explain myself. I'm just wonderin' if it's okay wit you if I tell them from the beginnin'. If I don't, they probably won't believe me." Zazie thought about it for a moment as she stared back at Kendra; Zazie tightened her jaw before she nodded at Kendra with approval. Kendra smiled warmly at Zazie and turned to look back at the others; they still didn't lower their guard, not for a second.

"Come on guys, calm down. It's fine, I'm not your enemy; I just know 'bout magic." Kendra said steadily.

"Are you a mage?" Asuna grumbled.

"Nope. I'm normal." Kendra replied. Their eyebrows rose with suspicion and unconvinced opinion reflected in their eyes. _'Guess I really do have to tell them.'_ Kendra thought.

"A'ight, fine. If you really don't believe me then how 'bout I tell you how I first learned 'bout the existence of magic? Of course, only if swords girl over there lowers her weapon; dat ain't gonna fly if she gonna be flashin' dat piece of metal at me." Setsuna hesitated but then slowly sheathed her sword.

"Continue." Was all Setsuna said after she glared at Asuna, signaling her to 'listen…but keep your guard up'. Asuna let out an annoyed huff and plopped down on their couch. Negi's face finally had some color again as he nodded his head in approval. Konoka came up and sat next to Setsuna, easily feeling that the tension still didn't change. All eyes were now on Kendra. She swept back her silky, black hair and rested one of her hands on the back of her neck. She stared at the carpet; trying to figure out how to even start. A few seconds later she sat back up with her signature bored expression and said

"It was 'bout 9 years ago. I was in my backyard; unlike other homes, mine didn't have a fence and the yard extended into a huge forest. My parents would always tell me to not go back there; of course I listened, I wasn't the type to rebel or express my opinions. It's just dat, I was beginnin' to…I don' know…think that my parents didn't care about what I think; which was true. So I became more and more rebellious over time; one day, I decided to go into the forest just out of curiosity and so I could go against what my parents told me. That's when it started…"

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><p><em>Flashback.<em>

"_They can't tell me what to do; I'll go into the forest if I want to! They can't stop me either, humph!" Kendra grumbled as she walked through the trees and branches. It was in the middle of the afternoon; gray clouds could be seen in the distance, slowly drifting in the direction of Kendra's home. Kendra didn't even notice and continued to progress deeper into the woods. About 10 minutes and 15 feet of walking later, Kendra found a small spot that was clear of trees. There was nothing but leaves and twigs piled up everywhere. Kendra hopped over with glee and jumped into the pile of leaves; sending a flurry of leaves fluttering and dancing in the air, then gently falling back to the ground without a sound. Kendra lay in the pile while staring at the flocking birds and passing clouds. _**_'This feels so nice…and quiet'_**_ Kendra thought as she closed her eyes and basked in the smell of nature. Even though she was just a kid, the only thing she really wanted was to be alone and pretend like the world around her never mattered; only she did, just for once in her life. Kendra decided to look around in the forest some more, observing the many interesting features; she played and teased with frogs that she found in a pond and occasionally poked 'unknown' things with a twig. All in all, she just let her curiosity do most of the work and explored the forest; losing track of time immensely. _

_Back at Kendra's home, her parents were inside the house watching the weather forecast for the week. It stated that there would be a 90% chance of a thunderstorm tonight. After hearing this, the mom asked her husband_

"_Go tell Kendra to come in all ready; she's been out playin' for two hours for cryin' out loud." The father grumbled as he clanked down his beer on the living room table and leaned out of his chair. He walked to the glass door and slid it open; he stomped out onto the backyard patio and yelled_

"_Kendra! Get inside, there's a storm comin'!" Moments past and he didn't hear his daughter reply. He tried to yell her name again; this time he cleared his throat to make his voice louder._

"_Kendra! Come on girl! There's a storm comin'!" There still wasn't a response. He stepped off the patio and onto the ground so that his vision of the entire back yard was better. He looked around and still didn't see her; as he turned around completely to make sure, his face slowly dropped drop from a scowl to complete worry. He sprinted back to the patio and dashed into the house. The mother stood out of her seat and gave her husband a questioning stare._

"_Sam? Why're you runnin'? Why hasn't Kendra come inside ye-"the wife didn't get a chance to finish her sentence when the father immediately shouted back_

"_She's gone, Shon, she's gone! I have to go find her; she most likely went into da woods! Dammit, who knows what could be happenin' to her!" The father grabbed his hoodie off the coat rack and slipped on his long, brown boots. He rushed into the kitchen and pulled open a drawer; he took out a flashlight and ran out into the back yard. The mother had tears streaming down her face as she cupped her hands to cover her mouth; she was speechless and could do nothing but watch her husband running out the house and towards the woods. Before the father completely disappeared into the forest, the mother shouted_

"_Please hurry back before the storm!" The father waved his hand without looking back and his image was quickly engulfed in the branches. The wife looked up at the sky and could see the gray clouds inching towards their home. Only one thought crossed her mind._

**_'Please…please be okay.'_**

_Kendra was poking another 'unknown' object with a twig, but she quickly became bored with it and decided to walk around some more. As she was walking, she noticed that the woods didn't seem like a forest fun land anymore; instead it felt like a dark, creepy, and haunted foreign land. She looked up and could see gray clouds, _**_'uh-oh. Looks like it's gonna rain. I should head back…now let's see. Was it this way?'_**_ Kendra pondered about which direction back to home was right. After a few moments of looking around, she shrugged and just walked in a random direction; hoping it would lead her the right way. She walked for 30 minutes but didn't recognize the path she was on. 10 minutes later, she still didn't recognize where she was, or even ran into that little spot with the pile of leaves and twigs. Kendra became afraid and jumped at every little sound that came from deep inside the bushes. She walked for 5 more minutes and began to hear loud, booming thunder, _**_'they never sounded this scary from my room'_**_ Kendra thought as she covered her ears and balled up against a tree. She tried her hardest to block out the heart shaking sounds of the thunder but it grew louder and seeped into her ears. Scurries, slithers, and howls could be heard all around and they all sounded close; Kendra closed her eyes tight and thought desperately, _**_'Please, somebody…help me! I'm scared!'_**_ The rain began to slowly drizzle and drench Kendra as she sat still in her spot; afraid that if she moved, something would come out and attack her. The cold rain started to rain harder, the winds picked up, thunder was becoming louder, and occasional lightning strikes would flash and light up the entire forest. Kendra trembled from the freezing rain and paranoia; the lightning strikes looked dangerously close. The ground below her turned into mud and stained her clothes. Kendra's eyes slightly opened to peek at her surroundings; she could see every little critter from the illumination of lightning. She noticed little frogs hopping to find shelter, worms burrowing into the soil, and even a flash of a deer running by far in the distance. When another lightning ran down from the crying heavens, she witnessed a site that scared her beyond compare._

_A small, dark figure was poking out from behind a tree. Its eyes were the only thing clearly visible; they were wide and unwavering; showing no emotion whatsoever. At a closer glance, Kendra could see that it had arms and legs like a human, but had two huge horns on its head; the horns twisted to two sharp ends. Claws extended from its fingertips; droplets of rain dripping off the knife-like ends of its hands. The creature's chest was rapidly rising and falling as its quick and strained breaths could be easily heard. Kendra yelled in fear as she leapt back and slammed back into the tree; trying to get as much distance between her and the frightening being. She pinned herself against the tree as she watched the figure slightly tilt its head. It took two steps closer and emerged from the bushes and trees. Kendra's eyes widened and stared at the figure in surprise. It was a girl that looked to be her age; she was extremely dirty and had no clothing. She was using her left hand to cover a wound on her stomach. The most noticeable thing was that her tanned face had a weird teardrop tattoo below her eye; a tattoo which resembled a scar was across her other eye. _**_'Is she a monster…demon…or just a girl?'_**_ Kendra thought; she slowly released her grip on the tree without breaking eye contact from the creature. She watched as the tanned child cocked her head to other side; its eyes were still unfazed and intense; so intense that it stared into Kendra's soul. Kendra gulped and took a small step forward. The demon immediately hunched down in an attacking position with its claws fully flared out. Kendra halted and looked at the claws, then back up at those intense eyes. Her lips quivered as she slowly parted her lips to speak._

"_I-it's okay. I'm-"_

'_**State your name**__.' Kendra froze in the mid-breath. **'**_**_What was dat? Am I hearin' things?'_**

'_**I said state your name!**__' This caused Kendra to jump back and stare at the demon in disbelief, _**_'her voice, I can hear it in my head?'_**

"_Are you doing this?" Kendra whispered. The demon child nodded. _

'_**I won't ask again. State your name!' **__**'It's Kendra'** __Kendra took two steps forward but stopped again when the tattooed child swiftly raised her claws to her throat. _

'_**Don't take a step closer or I'll cut your throat'**__ Kendra's eyes trembled as she stared into the demon's own. The demon cocked her head once again as she stared back at Kendra's hazel eyes. _

'_**They're…alluring'**__ the demon thought unconsciously. Kendra looked down at the wound on the girl's abdomen and looked back into the demon's eyes._

"_My parents…could take care of dat and heal you over time." Kendra softly spoke; trying to be careful not to upset the tattooed demon. _

'_**I'll be fine! I don't need your help, especially not from a-"**__The demon girl's thoughts stopped; she coughed up blood and fell to her knees on the muddy ground. Kendra kneeled down next to her and panicked; there was blood and she had no idea what to do. She gently shook the demon and said_

"_Hey! We have to get shelter from the rain, or else you'll be feelin' even worse!" The demon stared at Kendra and then at the ground; she looked back at Kendra and nodded. __**  
><strong>_

_**'fine, that does sound reasonable. But I'm not accepting your help because I want to, I just have to!'**__ Kendra grinned widely and said_

"_A'ight." Kendra slowly helped the girl up and walked until they found a thick stem that was heavily covered in leaves and plant life. Although a few drops of rain squeezed through the branches, it still helped to shield most of it. The demon rested against the thick tree trunk and exhaled deeply. Her horns and claws slowly retracted back into her body; Kendra stared in awe for a bit but shook it off as a childish feeling that needed to be saved for later. Kendra leaned next to the demon and smiled at her._

"_So, how 'bout we get to know each otha'? We'll have to wait for dis storm to clear, so we might as well chat, right?" The tanned child didn't look at Kendra and remained silent for a few moments until finally, Kendra heard in her head, __**'fine.'  
><strong>_

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><p>This one took me forever to do...so please leave a review! ( Oh, that rhymed!)<p> 


	9. Chapter 9

Man! This is probably my longest chapter of the entire story! Well, most of this is flashback, but things will pick back up next chapter.

Disclaimer: I do not own Negima or any of its characters and I do not own "Everytime We Touch". All ownership rights belong to the rightful artist, Cascada.

_**'(thoughts in flashback)'**_

'(normal present time thoughts)'

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 9<strong>

_The heavy pitter patter of rain drops pounded against the trees and leaves as it echoed through the booming thunder. Kendra looked at the tanned girl with deep interest but also couldn't help but feel worried and useless as she eyeballed her bloody wound. _**_'What could have hurt her so bad?'_**_ Kendra thought. The demon didn't look in Kendra's direction and watched as the little animals of the forest crawled and slithered past them; ignoring their presence. Kendra remained silent for a long moment before building the courage to finally ask_

"_So…what happened to you? How did you get that injury?" The tattooed girl's eyes narrowed but she still didn't look back at Kendra or respond with her thoughts. She hesitated before finally revealing her past predicament to Kendra; her face still remained diverted away from Kendra's though._

'_**I…was coming from my home, the demon world, and came here with my twin sister to do a little…cleansing.' **__She thought carefully about what to think next for a moment._

'_**We demons truly believe that human beings…and others beside demons are weak, troublesome, and a waste of existence. So demons send their children to the human world every now and again…to kill defenseless humans; this is also for teaching us the ways of underworld culture and beliefs.'**__ The demon girl looked up at Kendra; expecting her to be terrified and run away as fast as her little body would allow her to. Her eyes intenseness suddenly shattered for a mere moment; her eyes widened at what she witnessed as something beyond her expectations. Kendra's big, hazel eyes showered the demon's own in pure sympathy and sadness. _

'_**What is that look?'**__ The demon girl puzzled inwardly. Kendra took an inch step closer to the tattooed child and raised her trembling cold hands to grasp hers. _

"_I…I'm so sorry. I-it must be hard…t-to have to kill people on a-a regular basis. Do you have a say in w-whether or not to do th-this?" Kendra asked with a stutter, but not out of fear; the temperature was dropping by the minute and the cold rain that squeezed through the leaves weren't helping either. The girl could feel an image of a crying, pleading child around Kendra's age flash through her mind; she shook her head and tried to look away from those emotional yet tender hazel eyes and pulled away from Kendra's shivering hands. She didn't answer Kendra's question and continued with her story._

'_**My sister and I were at a beach miles away from this forest; located on the east coast. We decided to wait in the dangerous and deserted areas of the shores, we waited patiently; like a natural born predator waiting for its prey. Not too much longer did we hear a girl humming and skipping along the sand, she was attended by a grown man who was watching her several feet from behind. We hid behind a huge beach rock that was being mercilessly clashed by the thrashing and rushing of ocean waves. My sister started to flare out her claws, her wings emerged, bloodlust showed within her eyes, and she licked her lips as she stared at the girl…I knew all too well that… that girl was her exact taste; happy, carefree, sweet, and innocent. I always just sat back and let her do all the killing and eating; I only watch.'**__ There was a short pause. Kendra stared at the demon worriedly, thinking that her wound was taking its toll on her. The tattooed demon began to slightly shiver and hugged her arms._

'_**Although I've already seen so many deaths and I'm part demon…I've never killed one, not once. I didn't feel anything for humans, but I…I just always let my sister do it. I'd always decline and just eat something else like fruits, vegetables, or cow meat; but never humans. I would always ask myself why, but I never found the answer; it sometimes drives me insane!'**__ Kendra reached over to touch the girl's shoulder but she leaned away and continued once again. _

'_**Once the two humans were in close range, my sister sliced at the man's neck and killed him. He never knew what hit him and he never will; he lay on the beach in his own pool of blood. Of course, it didn't bother me, my sister almost always kills someone that way; but then the girl came rushing over to the dead body. She desperately shook the limp dead weight shouting daddy, daddy, please wake up daddy over and over again. That's when I felt more broken then when I come into near death situations with bigger, over aggressive demons. But it wasn't physical broken, it was emotional broken; I could feel the jagged edges of broken pieces cutting into my very heart. The face that girl had…so many tears, such deep devastation and utter despair. I felt guilty…so guilty and …outraged that a demon like myself would feel this way for a disgusting creature that I was raised and taught to hate with all my inner being; but that's how I felt and I couldn't control that. So…I…I' **__There was once again another long pause. The demon child unwillingly began to shed tears around the corners of her eyes; it was barely noticeable since she was already shaking and her face was doused in rain droplets. _**_'She has so many problems and no one to talk to it about and here she is spilling out everything to me without even realizing it. She needs a friend…someone who could understand her burdens…'_**_ Kendra thought as a deeply caring yet saddened expression overcame her features. The demon wiped away her tears, which wasn't necessary because of the rain, and began talking again. _

'_**I saw my sister creep up to the terrified girl. She was speechless and all she could do was plead and whimper; calling out to her dead father for help. My sister showed her rare, bone-chilling smile at her that even makes my spine tingle every time. She then whispered to the shaking girl that daddy can't hear her and that his soul was burning in a fire below the ground right about now. Then she said not to worry and that she'll be meeting him again soon; that's when she slowly raised her claws to slash at her. I reached my limit when I saw that girl's expression that just screamed two words…help me. I…I jumped in between them, with my claws and wings emerged as well, and blocked my sister's claws with my own. I shouted to the little girl to run away; she hesitated as she looked from me to her father and back to me again. I grew impatient and shouted that unless you want to die, run away now. I could tell I scared her a bit but she got the idea and finally ran; her image disappearing as she made her way to her home. Without question this obviously enraged my twin sister and I knew it wouldn't be a good thing to make her angry; she's more powerful than me, but I just couldn't watch that girl die. She wildly slashed and swung at me, the force of wind behind each stroke was very strong. This warned me that one slash…'**__ the demon girl slowly removed her left hand from her abdomen and hissed in pain; the bleeding stopped but the wound was very deep._

'_**Can be very fatal; and as you can see, she finally managed to cut me. She wasn't going to stop there though. She kept swinging and forcing me back, her adrenaline and demon instincts were taking over. I knew I didn't have a chance at surviving and decided to flee from her. I traveled miles…kilometers…trying to ignore this god forsakenly painful gash. I didn't sense my sister's magic energy nearby, she could have been masking it but I doubt she would follow me and think that I wasn't worth it. It's more likely that she went back to the demon world to report that I'm a betrayer to all demons; that I've sided with the humans. But that's not true, I just saved one…girl…that's it. Now I…I'm sure I've been disowned by my family; they would never want a demon who sides with humans…it would bring shame upon them. I have brought shame to my own kind!'**__ The demon started shaking harder and gripped her arms tighter; she sunk into the muddy ground and bundled into a ball as she cried into her arms. Kendra felt like her heart was in the death grip of a man's hand. She's never seen so much depression and regret in one person before; she was only just a child after all. Kendra couldn't think of any comforting words to say and decided to do what she does when she feels sad. She slid down into the mud and sat next to the sobbing demon. She stared into the dark forest and exhaled slowly. She fluttered her eyes close and started singing in a small but soothing voice. The tattooed girl quickly shot her head up and stared confusingly at Kendra._

'_**Why're you singing?' **__The demon thought._

"_This is what I do to cheer myself up. Like when I'm feelin' angry or sad." Kendra replied without even opening her eyes. Kendra continued singing and the demon girl listened to the first few lyrics._

'_I still hear your voice when you sleep next to me_

_I still feel your touch in my dreams_

_forgive me; my weakness but I_

_don't know why'_

' _without you it's hard to survive_

_cause every time we touch I get this feeling_

_and every time we kiss I swear I can fly_

_can't you hear my heart beat fast, I want this to last_

_I need you by my side…'_

_The demon girl couldn't help but let a small smile crack from her frown; the lyrics were so touching, Kendra's voice was so clear and beautiful, and she couldn't help but feel relaxed. She listened to Kendra for a few more seconds but suddenly, Kendra stopped and smiled sheepishly at the demon. Now she was shivering just as hard as the demon._

"_Um, this might be asking too much…but…can we kinda'….like, hug each other?" The demon raised an eyebrow._

'_**What?'**__ Kendra immediately waved her hands up in defense and said_

"_NO! I mean, I'm getting really cold; you must be cold too. I just thought we could hug so that we could warm up." The tattooed child was about to coldly decline but froze solid when she saw her pleading hazel eyes burrowing into her own. The demon swallowed hard and blushed for the first time in her life; she quickly moved her gaze away from those hazel orbs. _

'_**O-okay. B-but only because w-we need to s-stay warm!'**__ The demon commanded. Kendra grinned and wrapped her arms around the demon, bringing them in closer. The tanned girl thought that this was close enough but was caught off guard when Kendra gently adjusted herself so that the demon was seated snuggly into her lap. She then turned into a darker shade of red and weakly tried to struggle out of Kendra's grasp._

'_**W-what are you doing? I don't want to be on-'**__ the demon's telekinesis was cut short when Kendra gently pulled down the demon's head snuggly into the crook of her neck and began to softly rub her back with her left hand. Now the demon's face had the complexion of a tomato and was too shocked to even react; being raised in the demon world doesn't expose such affection to her, she didn't how to take it. Before the girl could finally think up a reasonable sentence, Kendra softly spoke._

"D_is feels much more comfortable, if you ask me. So…did my singin' help you feel better?" The tanned demon glanced up at Kendra, then back down; she didn't want to look into those hazel eyes, they were dangerous. Although she didn't look into her eyes, the past images of those hazel orbs clouded her thoughts; she couldn't help but secretly smile and nodded._

'_**Yes, it did.'**__ The tanned girl didn't have to look up to know that Kendra had and ear-to-ear grin, feeling accomplished and proud that she could cheer up the upset demon. _

"_In dat case; how 'bout I sing some more for you?" Kendra asked happily. She felt the demon cuddle closer into her and the only thing she got in response was another nod. Kendra leaned closer to the tanned girl's ear and was about to begin; but instead of singing, she whispered_

"_I never got to learn your name. So…what should I call you?" the demon's eyes slightly opened, for she was already feeling groggy from the comfy warmth and sound of rain. She looked up at Kendra with half-lidded eyes and opened her mouth._

"_Zazie…my name is Zazie." Kendra's mouth slightly gaped open and her eyes widened. When she got over her little shock, a soft smile formed on Kendra's lips._

"_So you can speak. Dat's the first time I've heard you talk, too bad you don' talk too much; you have a very nice voice." Zazie immediately stuck her face back into the crook of Kendra's neck; as she did so she also tightened her grip on the back of Kendra's shirt and thought._

'_**I guess I slipped up. I just…prefer not to speak with others. That's why I use my telekinesis; even with my family…well, ex-family now.'**__ Zazie inhaled deeply for a moment and took in the warmth that Kendra provided; she then let out a sigh of contentment. _

'_**Could you sing more for me…please?' **__Kendra shook her head 'yes' and leaned down to her ear again. She sung anything with beautiful or relaxing lyrics that came to her mind; trying her upmost to keep Zazie happy. In less than half an hour, Zazie fell asleep in Kendra's arms. Kendra smiled at how happy and peaceful she looked and gently stroked her cheek; even though she was dirty, her cheeks and skin were silky smooth. Kendra does nothing but stares at her sleeping face and occasionally caressed her  
>cheek; she didn't feel the need to sleep, not one bit.<em>

* * *

><p>"<em>Kendra!" Sam, Kendra's father, kept shouting her name as he thrashed about through the branches and trees; shining his flashlight around as much as possible. The lightning strikes were still going strong, the rain just barely lighted up, and the thunder's boom increased to the point that he could see the leaves on trees tremble. His balance would be occasionally thrown off as he stepped into puddles that were much deeper than they appeared; that didn't matter to him at all though. The pit of Sam's stomach felt heavy, like a ball of lead was dragging him down into feelings of worry and regret. His lower pants legs were soaking wet with mud; even his boots were drenched from the inside out. It made it more difficult for him to maneuver and run through the forest, but that didn't stop him. Sam just pushed himself harder, ran faster, and ignored the cold rain that blurred his vision. He was desperate. <em>_**'Oh god! Kendra, where's Kendra? Damn, damn, damn! I knew I should've watched her more closely! What kind of father never realizes their daughter left the home? Hell, there isn't even a father that would do that; I don' deserve to be called a fa-' **__Sam's thoughts were stopped when he witnessed a lightning strike that landed practically meters away from him. A tree slowly started to collapse to the ground; which was falling in Sam's direction. He didn't hesitate to dodge the falling trunk and to jump out the way onto the edge of a small pond. His entire left side and face was covered in mud and muggy water. The tree came down in a loud thud that could've easily answered the famous question; if a tree falls in a forest when no one's around, does it make a sound? (Corny, but I had to use it! ) Sam watched as the tree's impact with the ground sent splatters of dirt, flora, and even small animals all around him. He stood up and shined his light beyond the fallen tree; his eyes squinted for a few seconds as he was trying to make out the outline of an image he could see in the distance. Sam began walking up to the unrecognizable shapes but froze as he was only a few feet away from them. His eyes widened as he let out a long breathe of relief, not realizing when he was holding it to begin with _**_'is that…'_**_ Sam's flashlight dropped to the ground as he confirmed what he saw. A shaken whisper managed to escape his lips. _

"_Kendra." _

* * *

><p><em>The tree's crash caused Kendra to jump and Zazie to quickly wake from her sleep. Her eyes darted from Kendra's scared expression and then at the fallen tree. Zazie realized the scorched line where the tree trunk broke off.<em>

'_**The lightning strike caused this. Luckily for us it didn't hit this tree.' **__Zazie thought as she slowly gripped Kendra's arms; showing that she wanted to be released. Kendra didn't let go though; she didn't move an inch. Zazie looked up at Kendra confusingly and thought_

'_**What's wrong?'**__ Kendra still didn't move except for her lips that quivered._

"_That…could've been us…" A single tear escaped Kendra's eyes; it dripped off her face and plopped onto Zazie's cheek. Zazie gently rubbed her cheek at where the tear made contact. This contact felt so much different from the recent touches that Kendra gave. It wasn't warm and reassuring; it was bitter and delicate. Analyzing the feel of a tear on her bare skin; Zazie felt the thin sheet of wetness from Kendra's tear between the padding of her thumb and index finger. The corners of her lips shifted downward and her eyebrows furrowed._

'_**I don't like this…'**__ Zazie cupped Kendra's cheek in that same hand while blushing ferociously. The unusual touch from the demon caused Kendra to break from her trance and stare down at Zazie. Kendra felt the warmth from Zazie's hand; feeling comfort spread through her entire being._

"_Zazie?" Kendra whispered confusingly._

'_**I don't like this…at all. Don't cry.'**__ The demon's tone was rather assertive than comforting. Zazie didn't know how to talk in a soothing manner and this was all she could do for Kendra. Kendra smiled brightly at the demon's cute attempt to comfort her and placed her hand over the demon's own._

"_Thank you. I'm okay…just a little shocked from the tree thing. I'll let you-"_

"_Kendra." A voice said. The whisper didn't belong to either of the girls. They both looked around before Kendra looked beyond the once standing, but now fallen, tree. Zazie looked in Kendra's direction and could feel her claws, horns, and even wings just itching to spring out of her body. There stood a grown man. He was wearing a soaked hoody that was covered in mud all the way down his side. His boots shined in the lightning light; evidence that it was also thoroughly soaked. His blue jeans were crinkled and wet as well. His face wore an expression of relief and anger, but not nearly as much as the relief. He slowly began to raise his right arm and held out his hand. He was trembling, not because he was cold or scared; in fact, he was overwhelmed with joy and tried his upmost to not let it show. His attempt was obviously futile and was practically shaken by the powerful emotions he was feeling at the moment. Zazie sneered as Sam held out his hand towards them; she didn't know this man and still had a feeling of protest to side with humans. Zazie tried to swiftly stand up in front of Kendra without staggering from her still present and deep wound. Kendra slowly stood up as well; she could feel her knees becoming weaker by the moment. Kendra was overjoyed too, but felt afraid, afraid about what kind of punishment her father would have planned for her once they returned home. She went against what her parents told her and didn't come back, _**_'I bet I even gave em' a heart attack. Who knows if they'll forgive me?'_**_ Kendra thought nervously. While Kendra was too caught up in her own worries, Zazie had stood completely in front of Kendra with her arms and legs spread apart in a protective body shield. Once Zazie had done this, Sam had finally realized her presence and looked down at her in mild shock; mostly because in his eyes, Zazie appeared to be nothing more than a normal girl that was dirty, wounded, and had no clothes._

"_Oh my god…child, are you okay? We need to get that cut taken care of and get you some clothes." Sam said worriedly. Zazie growled loudly at Kendra's father; which caused Kendra to snap her attention back to reality as she saw the occurring scene before her. _**_'Did I hear Zazie…growl? Dat's not good…'_**_ Kendra looked over nervously at Zazie; hoping that her assumptions were wrong, but she was right. She saw Zazie standing in front her, protecting her from her father and growling every time he would move._

"_Zazie, it's a'ight! We can trust him, he's my dad." Kendra pleaded. Zazie looked back at Kendra with a determined and angry expression; only to have it soften after looking into those manipulating hazel eyes. Zazie's jaw tightened as she thought_

'_**But…'**__ Kendra placed her right hand where Zazie's horns usually come out, used her left hand to clasp Zazie's own left hand and rested her head on Zazie's left shoulder. _

"_Instead of a'ways dependin' on your demon instincts, listen to the human half of your heart like you did wit dat other girl and just trust me…please….trust me." Kendra whispered. __**'Although I'm afraid of the punishment dat I'll receive, I still don' want to see my dad torn to pieces.'** __Kendra thought. As Kendra said those last two words so sincerely, trust me, Zazie began to feel her mind swoon. Her arms fell as they became weak; but so did her legs. Her vision also began to fade into darkness. It wasn't Kendra's words that did this to her, she was reaching her limit from the extreme amount of blood loss. Demons could last longer than humans from losing so much blood but will faint from it eventually. Kendra caught Zazie in her arms as she fell back, _**_'so the wound finally took its toll on her huh.'_**_ Kendra thought. Kendra looked up at her father and said_

"_Dad, we have to get her back to our place. She needs somethin' done wit this cut." Sam was silent for a few moments. He wasn't sure how to comprehend what he witnessed just now but suddenly snapped out of his confused state and replied_

"_R-right! Yeah…here, let me carry her for you; we can move faster dis way." Kendra nodded and allowed her father to pick up Zazie. Kendra and her father started heading back to their home; luckily, Sam remembered the route he took to get here. The entire walk back was accompanied by uneasy silence. Kendra was too afraid to speak to her father, Sam just wanted to hurry up and go home; plus, he had an unconscious child in his arms with a large gash in her abdomen. Not the time for a chat. They finally made their way back home after over half an hour of walking; feeling tired physically, mentally….and emotionally. Kendra held the glass door open for her dad as they stepped up onto the back patio. Inside, Shon, Kendra's mother, heard the sliding glass door and immediately shot up from her chair. There were bags under her eyes and visible streaks down her cheeks; clear evidence that she was crying very much and stopped not too long ago. Kendra took notice of this as she entered the house; feeling a hard pang of guilt in her chest, _**_'I did dat to her…'_**_ Kendra thought. Shon ran over to Kendra and weakly hugged her close, she didn't let go for a long time; an action that truly confused Kendra. _**_'She's…not mad…why?'_**_ Kendra thought as she hesitated before hugging her mom back. Kendra's mother began to shed tears as she went on and on about how worried she was and to never do that again or else her heart wouldn't take it. Kendra did nothing but listen as those words cut deeper into her heart; she tried her best to ignore it and just rubbed her mom's back. Showing Shon her reassuring presence and that she wasn't going anywhere. During Kendra and Shon's moment of relief and reunion; Sam placed Zazie on the living room couch. He carefully examining Zazie's gash as he gently ran his fingertips around the edge of her wound; where you could practically feel the skin tissues dying by the minute. Kendra's father ran upstairs into the master bedroom and fumbled through a pile of cloths in his walk-in closet. He pulled out a green, flower printed, cotton blanket. He ran back down stairs and then into the kitchen; turned the sink faucet for warm water and searched for a rag. His wife, Shon, just watched as Sam ran around the house gathering supplies; he noticed his wife's confusion and finally began to explain the situation without stopping what he was doing. After a few minutes of explaining, he already had the warm, wet rag wrapped over her wound and another on her forehead; while the cotton blanket enwrapped her body snuggly. Sam looked up at Shon and said_

"_Shon, I need you to call an ambulance…her injury is very serious. I'm surprised a child her size and age is still even breathin'." _**_'It truly is a miracle she's still alive…'_**_ Sam thought. Kendra was sitting on the floor the entire time as her father explained what he could….she thought about telling the story herself, but….she didn't want to risk bringing up the fact that Zazie was a disowned demon. Her parents would just have to be uninformed about the details, and never find out. Shon glanced over at Kendra, she still couldn't believe such an undetailed, and illogical story; it was written all over her emotionally stressed face. Kendra felt enough guilt for today and just shrugged nonchalantly before looking away from Shon; trying her best to prove to her that she didn't know anything else. Shon sighed before she walked over to their home phone and started dialing 911. The phone rung for a few seconds before it picked up._

"_Yes, 911? I need an ambulance over right away. There's an injured child at my…" While Kendra's mother was informing 911 of Zazie, Sam turned his attention to Kendra; Kendra quickly turned in the opposite direction, finding the walls very interesting. She could feel her father's stare penetrating deep into the side of her skull and could practically hear the vision rays pinging off the side of her head. He called out to Kendra in low, intimidating growl._

"_Kendra…" Kendra gulped hard before slowly looking back at her father. She smiled weakly while trying to come up with an excuse that wouldn't worsen her punishment soon to come._

"_Y-yes, father?" Kendra could hear the hoarseness in her voice from how dry her throat suddenly became._

"_When this whole mess is over….your mom and me need to have a talk wit'cha." _**_'Yep…I'm dead.'_**_ Kendra thought as she hung her head; feeling hopeless. Shon hung up the phone, which caused both Kendra and Sam to look at her._

"_They're sendin' an ambulance right dis minute. We just have to wait for 'em." Shon said as she stood in the kitchen while leaning against the dinner table. They all sat still in the loud silence, still hearing the rumbling aftermath of the storm and the constant ticking of their clock. Kendra hated the quiet, especially if she spent it with her parents; their anger and irritation only made it worse of an experience for her. She wished that something could distract her from the intense feelings of disappointment that she received from her parents, _**_'anythin' would do…anythin' '_**_ Kendra thought. Almost as if fate read her mind, Zazie began to groan and stir in her spot on the couch. Kendra was the first to stand up, but her parents reached Zazie's side first. Zazie groggily cracked her eyes open, blinked a few times, and examined what she could see; which was the ceiling._

'_**What…happened? I was…in a forest. I was hurt and I met…someone. That someone…who…who…'**__ Zazie's mind was in a haze and racked her brain; trying to remember that person's name. She sat up and held her head in her right hand. Her vision began to clear and suddenly her memories came rushing back all at once. It all came back so fast, but she clearly saw an image of a pair of beautiful, emotional hazel eyes. Zazie's eyes widened as she lowered her hand back to her side. She remembered, she was with Kendra but then a man showed up and then she fainted. __**'Then what happened after that? Where's…'**__ Zazie became frantic and whipped around; tangling her blanket into a bundled mess. Her eyes were oozing with panic as she desperately looked around; trying to figure out where she was and see Kendra. Much to her surprise, she didn't see Kendra when she turned around; just two humans that she didn't know, but she did remember that grown man. __**'I remember him…Kendra said I should trust him, but that's not important right now. Where's Kendra?'**__ Zazie never felt this distressed before, and over a human she just met at that; she felt so lost without her presence and being surrounded by strangers wasn't any better. She began to call out for Kendra in a pleading fit as Kendra's parents tried to calm her down._

"_Kendra? Kendra! Where's Kendra?" Zazie shouted._

"_Hey! Calm down child, you can't move around like dat; you're hurt!" Sam yelled while struggling to calm down the tanned girl. Shon tried to help her husband, which wasn't much help at all since it only made Zazie angry and more irritated. She growled threateningly as she stared at Kendra's parents. Her only thoughts were that these humans were preventing her from seeing Kendra; she will not calm down. Kendra was stunned by the demon girl's unstable behavior and did nothing but watched; she didn't feel scared, but happy. Such a calm and in control person was acting this way over her; it made her feel special, needed, like she actually…mattered. _**_'She's like dis…'cause of me…she…needs me, a friend.'_**_ Kendra thought. She stood up and tried to squeeze in between her parents. Her attempts were unsuccessful and she couldn't quite see Zazie; she could only hear her screams and constant growls. Kendra's parents were squirming around as they just barely avoided Zazie's random swings and kicks. Through all their fussing and fumbling, Kendra managed to glance between them to see Zazie's face. Her teeth were clenched in anger, but her facial expression showed fear and worry; and there was a visible glimmer in her eyes, like she was about to cry any minute. Kendra felt a recurring feeling of a tight pain squeezing in her chest. Her eyes softened as the inner corners of her eyebrows curled in upwards. Her throat became dry but a strong jolt of energy was building within her; she pushed her parents aside quite aggressively. This earned a questioning look from her parents, but Kendra never noticed; she didn't care. She kneeled down at Zazie's side and held her right hand within both of her own. Zazie shivered at the sudden warmth that she has been begging for and felt her entire body relax into a calm state. She looked over at those addicting hazel eyes that have been plaguing her mind no matter how hard she resisted. __**'Kendra….'**__ She was speechless and thoughtless; Zazie just wanted to stare at the only person, only human, that could make her feel this secure…this cared for. She never wanted to let that reassuring affection to leave her side; she only wants Kendra to stay. Kendra was puzzled for a moment that all Zazie did was stare at her quietly; but it quickly subsided as she felt Zazie's hand clench back, showing Kendra that Zazie didn't want her to let go. Kendra smiled warmly and nodded._

"_I won't let go…" Zazie didn't smile, but on the inside, she was more emotional than she ever was in her entire life. She didn't know what to do with it, how to express it; so she just hid it away until they disappear. Although she hid her feelings behind a calm mask, she couldn't help but let some of her magic energy seep through her. Zazie figured that it wouldn't be much of a problem though, her sister has given up on hunting her down and most humans can't feel magic energy. Kendra, on the other hand, felt her chest tighten again and this time she didn't know why. _**_'I'm not sad or anythin', I'm actually very happy. So why is my heart achin' now?'_**_ Kendra thought. Kendra's parents watched the two girls in amazement. The situation didn't leave them baffled or anything, just surprised; surprised that Kendra could calm the frantic child with such little effort. Sam took advantage of this and slowly took a few steps towards Kendra; he stopped a few inches away from them, being careful not to ruin the tan girl's mood. _

"_Kendra, I need you to ask her some questions. Like if she has a family and if there's any way we can reach 'em." Kendra's father whispered._

"_She doesn't have a family…" Kendra responded softly without breaking her gaze from Zazie._

"_What? She doesn't have a family? Then maybe she's from an orphanage. Ask her 'bout dat."_

"_She's not from an orphanage." Kendra's hands trembled as she squeezed Zazie's hand tighter._

"_Her family…disowned…her." Kendra said disowned with a large hint of disgust and hatred in her voice. Sam's eyes widened in surprise._**_ 'For a child to go through such…wait.'_**

"_How do you know all dis, Kendra?" Sam questioned as his eyebrow rose with suspicion. _

"_She told me…everythin' " Kendra's voice dropped to a whisper at her last words as she remembered seeing Zazie; breaking down in tears after explaining such a painful and unfair thing._

"_She has nowhere to go…no one to go to." Kendra still didn't look away from Zazie. Zazie listened to Kendra and her father's conversation. She sent Kendra an approving gaze the entire time; saying that it was okay to answer for her. Kendra's father huffed out in frustration as he stood up and scratched the side of his head irritably._

"_Damn…now what? We can't just adopt her…we can just barely support us three financially." Sam sighed. He walked over to the kitchen table and plopped down in a chair; his head held in his hands, feeling a migraine coming along. _

"_Zazie…are you sure there ain't one else that can take care of you?" Kendra asked. Zazie looked at Kendra apologetically and shook her head 'no'. Kendra sighed and sat still for a moment, trying to think of anything, anyway that they could help Zazie. __**'Isn't there someone we know who could look after Zazie? And someone we trust at dat…it can't be any ol' stranger dat we don' know. They have to have at least two or three people to look after her, they have to be nice and sweet people who can deal wit' Zazie's stubbornness…well, maybe…'** __Kendra could've sworn she felt an actual light bulb pop up over her head just like she's seen on Saturday morning cartoons. A small smile graced her features as she turned around to look at her mother._

"_The Nelsons! What 'bout the Nelsons?" Kendra asked. Shon's eyebrows shot up after she heard Kendra's outburst. _

"_You mean the Nelsons dat live 'bout 3 houses down? Well…they have been friends wit our family for a long time and they do seem trustworthy."_

"_Yeah…such nice people. It's just so wrong when they learned they couldn't have children; especially for Mrs. Nelson. But do you really think they will adopt her though?" Sam asked._

"_I'm pretty sure they would." Kendra said. Her parents could feel a smile come across features; which was a refreshing feeling for them, it felt like it's been an eternity since they smiled. Kendra, on the other hand, wasn't quite ready to feel relieved. There was still the most important person's opinion of all, Zazie's. Kendra looked back at Zazie; hoping for the best answer possible. _

"_So, what do you think, Zazie? How 'bout gettin' adopted by the Nelsons?" Kendra asked. Zazie didn't reply immediately; she stared at Kendra without saying anything. Kendra felt worried, _**_'is she angry or somethin'?'_**_ Kendra thought. A few more minutes of silence passed until finally Zazie responded_

"_What's…adoption?" Her voice was so quiet; Kendra had to listen extra hard to hear. She looked at Zazie in disbelief, but she was relieved that she wasn't angry, at least. _

"_Adoption is when a couple of adults raise you as their own child. You'll live wit 'em, share memories wit 'em, and much more…just like a real family." Kendra said brightly. Zazie sat there motionless as she listened to the words run through her mind. __**'Raise me as their own child, memories….family. I've never had this with my old family, I wonder what it's like to experience it. But…wait'**__ Zazie gave Kendra a stern look and asked_

"_I will still see you…right?" Kendra smiled; she was actually hoping that Zazie would be thinking along those lines._

"_Yeah…I'll make sure to visit you almost every day, okay? But since you're thinkin' 'bout dis, does dat mean you want to get adopted?" Zazie gripped tighter on Kendra's hands and nodded. _

"_Good, now it's all up to the Nelsons." Sam said. Kendra let a long sigh of relief, but she could still feel that same lingering chest pain. Kendra removed one of her hands from Zazie's grasp and held her chest; waiting for the throbbing to subside. Zazie propped herself up on her elbows and looked at Kendra worriedly, __**'am I doing that to her?'**__ Zazie thought. Kendra smiled reassuringly at Zazie and said_

"_I'm a'ight, Zazie." Although Kendra whispered this for only Zazie to hear, Sam heard as well._

"_A'ight? 'Bout what? What're you a'ight 'bout Kendra?" He walked over and placed his hand on Kendra's forehead, checking for a fever._

"_I'm fine dad, really." Sam slowly removed his hand from Kendra,__**'she don' feel hot…guess I was worryin' 'bout nothin' '** __Sam thought._

"_Well…okay. If you say so, but if you don' feel good tell us." _

"_Yeah, don' just try to ignore it. You might've got a cold from stayin' out in dat rain for so long." Shon added. _**_'Can today get anymore surprisin'? First I get stuck in a storm, meet a demon girl, and now my parents are acting so caring and worried 'bout me; like actual parents.'_**_ Kendra thought, she smiled warmly at her parents and said_

"_Yeah, I will." _**_'Maybe I should get lost more often…nah dat's stupid.'_**_ Kendra chuckled inwardly, she could see herself doing something like that; disappearing around Christmas time and be 'found' by her parents. _**_'Wonder how many presents I would ge-'_**

WEE-WOO, WEE-WOO, WEE-WOO!

The ambulance finally arrived and pulled up into their front yard. A loud knock came from the front door. Sam ran up to the door and opened it; without hesitation the paramedics quickly paced into the house. One paramedic seemed to be in his early 30s with black hair in a crew cut, the other man looked very young, perhaps in his 20s, he had blond short hair. The elder paramedic walked into the living room and saw Zazie lying on the couch holding Kendra's hands. He turned around to see Shon and asked

"_Are you-" Shon nodded and said_

"_Yes, I'm the one who called. The girl I told you 'bout is wide awake on da couch over there; but she has a deep cut in her stomach." He looked back at Zazie in disbelief, she didn't look like she was in any pain; in fact she looked quite content just lying there. _**_'Well…lets check the damage'_**_ the paramedic thought. He stepped up next to Kendra and placed his heavy hand on her shoulder._

"_Excuse me young lady, but could you move over so I can examine your friend here?" Kendra didn't hesitate to stand up and back away; but she couldn't. Zazie had a steel grip on her wrist and looked scared, scared of being left alone again. Kendra smiled knowingly at Zazie and patted Zazie's head._

"_Don' worry, Zazie. I'm not leavin' you alone. I'll be sittin' in dat chair right over there, see?" Kendra pointed at a chair across the room. Zazie looked at the chair, then at Kendra and back at the chair again. She was reluctant at first but slowly loosened her grip on Kendra's wrist. She wasn't happy about this at all, she felt so uneasy without Kendra nearby. Zazie became more and more nervous as the paramedic removed the blanket from around her and reached to remove the towel from her wound. Kendra watched closely as the paramedic removed Zazie's blanket and cloths. She could feel her chest pain reoccurring like a small fire kindling in her heart; growing every second as the older man examined Zazie. She rapidly tapped her foot against the carpet; desperately trying to distract herself from the pain, _**_'I can't afford to make anyone worried, especially not Zazie…'_**_ Kendra thought. The man gently uncovered Zazie's wound and threw the towel to the side. His eyes widened in surprise, he sat motionless as he stared at the girl's abdomen. Kendra noticed his odd behavior and leaned over to her side to peek around him. Shon, who was still seated at the kitchen table, stared confusingly at how the man suddenly went silent as well. As if right on time, Sam walked into the living room and automatically noticed the tense atmosphere. He kneeled down next to the stunned man and asked_

"_So, what can you do to help…" Sam didn't finish his sentence as his attention was drawn to Zazie's stomach. _

"…_her." Sam whispered under his breath. He never witnessed something this unusual, unreal, and illogical. Zazie's deep, fatal, and gruesome wound…was gone. Nothing was there but the smooth surface of her skin and a huge scab. _

"_What da hell? Dat's…not possible. I swear to you, there was a wound there a few moments ago! "Sam pleaded as he stood up and backed away in pure shock. Kendra and her mother ran to Zazie's side and looked at her previously present wound. It really was gone, only a scab; other than that, the skin around it looked healthy with no traces of dead skin. Kendra was in a trance of pure awe; she paid no mind to her chest pains and just stared in fascination. __**'So is dis…another power that demons have? Cool…'** __Kendra thought excitedly. Shon was utterly shocked, now she wasn't some medical student or anything, but she knew all too well that what just happened isn't possible. The middle-aged paramedic finally broke from his trance and shot up. He stomped back to the front door and looked over at the blond rookie who was waiting patiently to assist him. The older man's face was grim, he grumbled_

"_Let's go back, Robert. There's nothing going on here. This was obviously a fake call." Robert sighed in frustration, _**_'Damn…I missed poker night with the boys because of this call too!'_**_ Robert thought. Sam stood next to the entrance and watched as the paramedics exited; but before the older man left, he glanced at Sam and said_

"_Try to find something to do with your life besides making prank ca-"_

_BAM!_

_Sam slammed the door in his face. _

"_Dis my house! Don' know who dat punk talkin' to! Shit…" Sam shouted. He scoffed and walked proudly into the living room. With a prideful strut in his step and feeling satisfied with himself, he almost forgot about Zazie's healed injury until he saw his wife and daughter still kneeled next to the tanned girl. He quickly snapped out of his triumph thoughts and felt his shoulders slouch from the tension he's been feeling all day again. He cautiously walked around the three girls and sat in his lazy boy chair. He leaned forward and rested his right hand against his mouth; deep in thought about what to even do next. _**_'I don' think tellin' the hospital 'bout dis would be a good idea. They probably wouldn't believe us anyway; and if they did, they might do tests on her. No child deserves to go through dat. Should I just accept it as a miracle sent from god? Or just waste my time worryin' 'bout dis like I'm in some kinda' sci-fi movie? ...Yep…it's a miracle from god, definitely a miracle from god.'_**_ Sam sweat dropped at his train of thought, _**_'have I always thought like dis?'_**_ He shook his head and didn't think about it anymore. He walked over to Kendra and Shon and rested his hands on their shoulders; Shon looked up at him, but Kendra didn't. She was still too focused on Zazie's scab and didn't react to Sam's touch. Sam lowered his face between Kendra and Shon's heads and whispered_

"_What has happened here today stays between the four of us?" Kendra nodded. Shon nodded too, she was just hoping that this was just some loony dream that she would hopefully wake up from soon. Zazie looked confusingly at Kendra. _

'_**What…happened just now? Are we in trouble or something?'**__ Zazie was using her telekinesis again. _

"_Well…we're not in trouble; just…the paramedics were a bit mad. Dat's all." Kendra responded. Sam shifted his attention to Kendra._

"_Kendra, who're you talkin' to?" Sam asked._

"_Oh! Uh, no one…" Kendra replied meekly. Sam raised an eyebrow and then shook his head, _**_'children and their imagination'_**_ he thought. Sam picked the blanket that was tossed aside and handed it to Zazie._

"_Here, wear dis 'til I get you some clothes from Kendra's room." Zazie sat up and wrapped the blanket around her shoulders. Sam went upstairs and entered Kendra's room. He rummaged through her drawers; searching for pajamas that wouldn't seem too big for Zazie. Meanwhile, back downstairs, Shon decided to call the Nelson's about meeting up for an adoption tomorrow. _

"_Mrs. Nelson? Yeah…it's Shon. How're ya? Dat's good, listen. What would you think 'bout an adoption? …Yeah, well…we found dis little girl. She doesn't have a family or belong to an orphanage and we can't possibly raise her ourselves; you know our budgets are tight as it is. So we figured…if you might want to…ya know." There was a long pause. Kendra impatiently waited for her mother to start talking again as she sat on the couch next to Zazie. Finally, Shon continued, this time with a small smile on her face._

"_Okay, yeah. So you just need to talk to your husband 'bout dis? ….So we'll meet at my house tomorrow? ….Great, okay bye." Shon hung up the phone and looked back at Kendra. She didn't have to say anything; Kendra already knew what the Nelsons' answer was. Kendra stood up and clasped her hands together over her mouth in relief while whispering_

"_Thank ya, Jesus…" Kendra turned around to face Zazie and said_

"_Great news, Zazie. The Nelsons are comin' over tomorrow to meet you. If it all goes a'ight, then you'll have a new family." Zazie only nodded. Her thoughts weren't set on the adoption, but on Kendra and her occasional pains. She knew all too well that Kendra was trying to cover it up, but Zazie could see right through it. __**'She seems to be in pain at random times. Or maybe…not that random at all. Perhaps she's been reacting to me…to my occasional jolts of magic energy. I'll have to discuss it with her later.' **__Zazie thought. Sam came back with a pink PJ outfit with raindrop designs on it in assorted colors, _**_'raindrops…what a coincidence.'_**_ Kendra thought sarcastically. Zazie stared at the bundle of clothes in Sam's arms and then at Kendra._

'_**These are supposed to be clothes? They're not my type of wear…'**__ Kendra held back a chuckle from Zazie's comment and took the clothes from her father instead. She stood in front of Zazie and dumped them into her arms. Kendra smiled brightly at Zazie and said_

"_Dat's not true. I think these would look cute on ya." Zazie's cheeks flustered. She held the shirt up in front of her and scanned over it for a moment. _

'_**I guess…they're a little…cute.'**__ Kendra grabbed Zazie by the wrist and gently helped her to stand up. Even though Zazie's wound is healed; she still feels weak from fainting before._

"_In dat case, let me show you to the bathroom so you can take a bath and get changed." Kendra said. Zazie blinked twice and then blush crimson red. Kendra slowly raised an  
>eyebrow and then asked carefully<em>

"_You do know…how to get dressed right?" Zazie nodded._

"_And…you do know how to take a bath…right?" Zazie didn't nod. Kendra sweat dropped and then laughed weakly._

"_Um…mom, dad, you'll have to help Zazie take a bath…"_

* * *

><p><em>Two hours later, Zazie has taken a bath and changed. Kendra's parents decided to allow Zazie to sleep in her room for the night. Kendra was going to sleep on a blow-up mattress and Zazie was going to sleep in the bed. Zazie protested at first but Kendra said that she was the guest and was injured.<em>

"_It's okay, Zazie. You can sleep in my bed tonight, I would feel a lil' guilty if you slept on the air mattress." Kendra said. Zazie sighed and finally gave in. They sat in their beds and talked to pass time, but in the case of Zazie's telekinesis, they thought. _

'_**Why did you hide it?'**__ Zazie's tone of thought suddenly became serious and her face was stern. _**_'Hide what?' _**_Kendra asked._

'_**Your pain, I noticed all along, even when we were in the forest.'**__ Zazie replied. Kendra scratched the back of her head nervously. _**_'Oh…so someone did notice. I thought I was coverin' it up pretty good too. Oh well…guess I'm busted.'_**_ Zazie leaned forward and firmly gripped Kendra's hand._

'_**You can't just ignore things like that. You never know what it could be a sign for. Lucky for you…I don't think it's anything dangerous to your health; but it's not something normal either.'**__ Kendra's eyes widened, _**_'what do you mean it's not somethin' normal?'_**_ Kendra asked. Zazie released Kendra's hands and scooted to the other side of the bed. She leaned back against the wall and sighed deeply._

'_**Do you remember all the times when you had the pains?'**__ Kendra thought thoroughly about it for a few moments. _**_'Well…I think the first time was when you were…cryin' in da forest. Then when you woke up and I held your hand to calm you down. Then the third time was when you were bein' looked at by dat paramedic guy…but I don't get where ya goin' wit dis.'_**_ Zazie sighed again as her suspicions were confirmed._

'_**They were all times when my emotions were getting the better of me. So as a result…my magic energy started to release itself without me realizing it. Ordinary people shouldn't be able to feel this, but you, you're not completely ordinary. You can sense different levels of magic energy like other few humans in the world. Do you understand?'**__ Kendra clenched her chest, not from chest pains, but she felt uneasy without doing so at the moment. _**_'Yeah…I get it so far.'_**_ Kendra thought. Zazie nodded and continued her explanation._

'_**They all have their own way of sensing magic energy though, none are the same. Some would see visions or maybe feel a reaction to their bodies. What kind of pain were you feeling, Kendra?' **_**_'I was feeling chest pains.'_**_ Kendra responded._

'_**That's your version of magic sensory. You get different levels of chest pains based on the amount of magic energy exerted into the atmosphere around you. So if it's little amounts of magic, you'll get small chest pains; same thing with large amounts of magic, you'll have more painful chest pains.'**__ Zazie glanced over at Kendra and quickly felt her heart sink. Kendra's clenched hand was quivering and she stared down at the floor; hiding her confused and overwhelmed expression behind her jet black hair. _

'_**B-but…those people's bodies quickly adapt to their sensors and they can continue to live a normal life!'**__ Zazie thought, desperately trying to cheer up Kendra. Kendra still didn't look up to face Zazie. Zazie hopped down off the bed and sat next to Kendra; she hugged Kendra tightly while focusing on repressing her magical energy…and her blush._

'_**I'm sorry. This is my entire fault. A sensor within someone doesn't take effect until its first encounter with magic and I was your first encounter! If only you didn't meet me then…'**_

"_Eh?" Zazie muffled. Her face was buried in Kendra's shoulder as Kendra hugged her back tightly and then said_

"_Don't ever say dat! I'm happy dat I've met you! Like you said, I can get used to the chest pains. Ever since I met you…I finally felt what I've a'ways wanted to feel for so long." Kendra leaned back from the hug and stared Zazie in the eyes._

"_You made me feel like I finally…finally mattered. I wasn't just somethin' that took up an amount of space and had to be spent money on in your eyes. To you…I was Kendra Guinyard, and dat made me feel so happy and I didn' regret one bit meetin' you Zazie. So don't say it was your fault, dis is what was meant to happen…a'ight?" Kendra grinned widely at Zazie. Zazie's cheeks were stained red and she couldn't help but shyly smile back; that girl's smile is contagious. There was a long silence between the two girls as they smiled and looked into each other's eyes; hazel locked with deep brown. A few minutes later, Kendra broke the silence and asked_

"_What's your name?" Zazie slightly cocked her head in confusion._

"_Zazie. You already know tha-"_

"_I mean your full name. I only know your first name, but not your last one." Kendra interrupted. Zazie looked away from Kendra and blushed the shade of a tomato. _

"…_ainyday…" Zazie whispered. Kendra could barely hear and asked_

"_What? I couldn't hear ya." Zazie cleared her throat and repeated_

"_Rainyday…my name's Zazie Rainyday." Zazie slowly turned back to look at Kendra; bracing herself for Kendra to laugh at her ridiculous name. _

"_Dat's perfect!" Kendra shouted. Zazie's posture slightly relaxed from Kendra's positive reaction and let out a sigh of relief. _

"_Perfect how? I don't even like my own name." Zazie said. Kendra held up her right pinky finger and said_

"_It represents the day we become best friends, on a rainy day. I will say a short pledge for our new friendship. I, Kendra Guinyard, hereby promise to be best friends wit Zazie Rainyday until the end of time. Now you do the same thing." Zazie slowly raised her right pinky finger and stuttered_

"_I-I, Zazie Rainyday, hereby p-promise to be best f-friends with Kendra Guinyard until th-the end of time." Zazie was blushing so hard that her brightness rivaled with the room ceiling light._

"_Good, now we shake pinkies." Kendra took Zazie's pinky finger in her own and shook._

"_There…now we're officially best friends!" Kendra said optimistically. Zazie nodded and replied_

"_Yeah, until the end of time."_

_Flashback End_

"…and dat's how I learned 'bout magic…a'ight?" Kendra finished the story and looked at everyone's faces. Zazie was smiling warmly at Kendra. Asuna's mouth hit the floor while Negi gazed at Kendra in pure interest. Konoka was wiping tears away from the corner of her eyes with a handkerchief and Setsuna had her sword laid on the floor as she rubbed Konoka's back to calm her down. Kendra stifled back a giggle, _'these guys are really somethin' else'_, and then rolled up both of her sleeves. She held up her forearms and looked over at Konoka who finally calmed down.

"Your name's…Konoe Konoka, right? How 'bout we heal my injuries a'ready."

* * *

><p>Wew! There was now mercy for y'alls eyes this time! But yeah, review and tell me how I'm doing so far! X)<p> 


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: I do not own Negima or any of its characters and I do not own "Not Over You". All ownership rights belong to the rightful artist, Gevin Degraw.

So anyways, enjoy the chapter!

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 10<strong>

Konoka blinked once, stared at Kendra's bruised arms, then at Setsuna and blinked one more time.

"Secchan, could you-"Konoka's request was interrupted by Kendra.

"I'm asking you…to please…heal my injuries." Kendra spoke slowly and clearly as she applied extra effort to speak properly.

"Oh! Of course." Konoka replied; but before she could get up, an anonymous, small voice said

"A Magic Sensor, huh? Looks like you found yourself a good one, Aniki!" A white, furry little rodent scurried out of the top bunk and onto Negi's shoulder.

"What do you mean, Chamo?" Negi asked. Kendra quickly snapped her attention to the animal on Negi's shoulder. She cocked an eyebrow.

"Um…look. I've seen mice back in South Carolina, but dis…dis looks like y'all got an albino rat problem; a talkin' one at dat." A vein started to pulsate on Chamo's little head. He whipped out a cigar and puffed out a ring of smoke before saying

"Listen here Ane-San! I'm an ermine, an ERMINE! Got that?" Kendra scoffed.

"No you ain't. You're an albino, talkin' rat. Just be happy I'm goin' wit the fact dat you're talkin' right now. And let me guess…you're magical or somethin' right? I felt your magic energy when I was tellin' my story earlier." Kendra then cracked a small smile, the second everyone besides Zazie has seen.

"A very low magical level to be specific." Chamo could feel his vein pulsating faster. He pointed his cigar at Kendra and then shouted

"Shut up you country hick! If you weren't such a valuable person I would-"

"Oh, I'm valuable? So, you said dat teach here found a good one, what do you mean by dat? Oh yeah…and I might be a country hick…but I'm the **sexiest** country hick you'll ever meet." Kendra countered. Chamo tried to growl loudly at Kendra to scare her, which obviously failed, and puffed on his cigar again. Chamo heard a restrained chuckle next to him and saw that it wasn't coming from Negi, Asuna, nor Konoka, but from Setsuna who was looking in the other direction. She was covering her mouth; desperately trying not to laugh. Chamo's jaw hit the floor while Asuna and Negi stared at Setsuna in disbelief; to see the stoic Setsuna Sakurazaki laughing was an unusual sight. Konoka, on the other hand, wasn't as surprised; she was actually quite happy to hear her protector laugh. The times that her protector has spent with the girls of class 3-A were slowly, but surely, helping Setsuna to open up with her emotions more; being in a relationship with Konoka helped too.

"I'm…sorry…it's just….albino rat….and sexiest county hick…." Setsuna gasped between her giggles. Zazie, who was seated on the floor next to Kendra, was frozen still as Kendra's last comment ran through her mind. _' **'I'm the sexiest country hick you'll ever meet'** oh how right you are…'_ Zazie thought. Once again, those pesky lewd thoughts were appearing in Zazie's mind and a blush spread across her cheeks. _'Ugh! No! Bad Zazie, don't think about such things!'_ Zazie slightly shook her head, trying to rid herself of those thoughts. Luckily, no one noticed Zazie and was too swept up in the argument between Kendra and Chamo.

"Flea-bitten fur ball." Kendra stated bluntly.

"Hillbilly!" Chamo shouted back.

"I sure hope da girls got you neutered…don' nobody wants any mini-albino rats runnin' round da place wit lil cigars in their mouths." Now Asuna, Konoka, Setsuna, and Negi started laughing uncontrollably. Chamo looked back at Negi.

"Aniki! Not you too?" Negi wiped away a few tears from the corner of his eye and replied

"S, sorry…Chamo…but she's…ahahahah" Negi held his sides. Kendra waited patiently for everyone to get themselves together, although she was actually enjoying making them laugh, she couldn't ignore the ever present stinging in her side and forearms. Konoka took deep breaths to try and catch her breath. Negi finally calmed down along with Setsuna as well. Asuna, on the other hand, was still rolling on the floor.

"Ha! That's what you get, you perverted ermine!" Asuna piped. Chamo scurried back up onto Negi's shoulder and smoked his cigar in defeat, while pouting a little in the process. A few moments later, Asuna lay on the floor, her face looking up at the ceiling and out of breath. Kendra coughed into her hand to get everyone's attention.

"Now dat everyone's calm could you please heal my injuries now, Konoe-San?" Kendra held up her forearms again to show the bruises that have developed. Konoka nodded.

"Yeah, just hold your arms straight out for me and let me do the rest." Konoka got up and kneeled down next to Kendra. Kendra did as she was told and held her arms straight out. Konoka closed her eyes and muttered something Kendra couldn't understand, _'what language is dat supposed to be, Latin?'_ Kendra thought. Suddenly, a green light glowed from Konoka's hands; she held her hands over Kendra's arms and began healing. After staring for a while at the magical energy emerging from Konoka, Kendra remembered something and said

"Oh, um…Konoe-San?" Konoka didn't look up but quickly replied

"Yes, Guinyard-San?" _'Ewe…Guinyard-San sounds way too formal.'_ Kendra thought.

"You can just call me Kendra, I don' like my formal name. Anyways, I wanted to apologize." This time Konoka did look up at Kendra.

"Apologize for what? You didn't do anything wrong." Konoka said confused.

"When I first entered the room…I stared pretty coldly at you. It was 'cause of the huge amount of magical energy that was coming from you. I didn't see it comin'. You see…the only way I can deal wit my chest pains…is to distract myself by starin' intensely and wait for the pain to go away" _'sucks dat it makes me look like some creepy freak'_ Kendra thought meekly.

"But luckily, my body quickly becomes familiar wit the new magical presence. So sorry if I scared you or anythin' before." Kendra's bored expression still never changed; but her words seemed to hold a bit of guilt. Konoka just smiled brightly at Kendra.

"It's okay, really. If that's the only way you can deal with your chest pains, then I don't mind at all."

"Is that why you were staring everybody down in the classroom earlier?" Asuna asked.

"Yeah, and I'm sure you noticed me starin' pretty hard at you too. You have an unusual magic energy…strong but…different." Kendra said. Chamo shifted his tail around as he took another smoke on his cigar.

"I think what you're sensing is Ane-San's magic cancelling ability here." Chamo squeaked. Kendra ignored Chamo.

"I was kinda' overwhelmed by sword girl's magical energy too…and a bit surprised. It was…similar to Zazie's." Kendra continued.

"Hey! Don't ignore me-"Chamo started but was interrupted by Kendra.

"So, does that mean you're a…you know…"

"Yes. I'm an offspring of a demon and a human, in other words, a Hanyou." Setsuna replied. The atmosphere around Setsuna suddenly became depressing. Konoka placed her hand on Setsuna's shoulder and smiled reassuringly at her.

"Secchan…I already know what you're thinking and you're wrong. There is nothing to be ashamed of…everyone loves and cares about you; you being a Hanyou doesn't matter. Okay?" Setsuna had on her trademark blush as she weakly responded

"Y-yes…Ojou-sama." Setsuna realized her slip up and then quickly covered her mouth with her hand. _'Damn…'_ Setsuna thought. Just as Setsuna predicted, Konoka puffed out her cheeks and pouted.

"Mou, Secchan! I told you to not call me that, it's Konochan, Ko-no-chan!" Konoka balled up her hands into fists and repeatedly hit Setsuna.

"Gomen, Konochan, gomen!" Setsuna pleaded as she shielded herself from Konoka's assault. Kendra sat in silence as she stared at the unusual, but somewhat cute, quarrel. _'Well, it's obvious dat they're a couple.'_ Kendra thought. Kendra coughed into her hand yet again. Konoka ceased her actions, allowing Setsuna to sigh in relief, and looked at Kendra.

"I still got one more injury for you to heal." Kendra stated as she held her right side carefully. As if Konoka's infamous air-headedness could not be proven any farther, she blinked once before asking.

"Oh, you do? Where?" Kendra felt her patience on thin ice but let it slide.

"It's on da right side of my stomach." She slowly lifted up her sweatshirt to reveal her swollen and bruised abdomen.

"Oh my, this looks worse than the injuries that were on your arms!" Konoka gasped. Zazie was taken aback by how bad Kendra's injury has gotten as well. She couldn't help but feel responsible for this happening to her and could feel a heavy weight of guilt sitting on her shoulders. Negi reached his limit and shot up from his seat.

"Kendra-San, tell me what happened! It is my duty as your sensei to know how you were injured and to make sure that you stay safe!" Negi commanded in a stern tone; his childish demeanor quickly abandoned and replaced with demanding authority. _'A little mishap in the streets cannot lead to such severe injuries!'_ Negi thought angrily. Kendra sighed, feeling aggravated with Negi's persistence.

"Konoe-San, could you please heal my side now? I can feel the pain growin' by the secon'." Kendra asked, trying to swiftly change the subject.

"Kendra-San, do not try to change the subject, tell me…what happened." Those last two words spat out of Negi's mouth like cold water on a small flame; Kendra's patience was that small flame. _'This annoyin' ass lil'…'_ Kendra stood, ran her hands through her hair to calm herself down and then blankly stared at Negi.

"Maybe I need to say it more clearly for you to understand. What happened is none of your business. A sensei's duty is to teach…dat's it, and I'm not gonna sit here and let you just interrogate me on my personal problems."

"So it is a problem you're dealing with! Not some accident, you were lying to us!" Asuna accused.

"A problem I already took care of." Kendra replied. Zazie slowly rose and stood next to Kendra, she could feel it; she could feel Kendra's composure weakening. Zazie lightly tugged on Kendra's sleeve to get her attention. Kendra looked down at Zazie to see her shaking her head 'no' with a pleading expression.

"But he-"Kendra started but stopped when Zazie tugged on her sleeve again, this time only a little harder. Kendra sighed in defeat and sat back down on the floor with Zazie. She tugged on Kendra's arm one more time before the magic sensor sighed and said

"Sorry for the way I acted…Negi-sensei." Chamo, failing to sense the seriousness of the moment, decided to use this opportunity for payback.

"Hah! You don't look so tough now! Look at you, the silent Ane-San's got you whipped!" He made whip cracking sound affects while pretending to snap a whip. That's when Asuna grabbed Chamo and threw him into the wall…hard. Asuna glared angrily at the seemingly lifeless ermine body as she grumbled something about an 'annoying vermin' under her breath. Asuna returned her attention back to Kendra; still feeling the need to interrogate her. Seeing the little rodent being thrown into a wall took nearly all of Kendra's might not to laugh right then and there. _'You don' exactly look too tough either.'_ Kendra thought amusingly.

"Kendra-San…please. Just tell us what happened." Negi pleaded one last time, slight desperation and sincerity hinted in his words. This broke Kendra out of her briefly amused state; her shoulders slumped as she stared back at the child teacher's deeply worried eyes. Kendra finally sighed in defeat.

"Fine…fine, I'll talk, but I ain't givin' details." Kendra looked over at Konoka once again.

"But…could y'all PLEASE heal my side already, I'm dyin' here." Kendra's blank expression said otherwise though. Konoka nodded and asked Kendra to lift her sweatshirt a little, Kendra obeyed and Konoka began healing her. Kendra looked at the surrounding people one more time before sighing again.

"Okay, so here's what went down. Me and Zazie left from a diner, while we were walkin' to the bus stop, a group of guys held us up. They wouldn't let us leave and decided to try and assault us instead."

"You're saying a bunch of perverts tried to jump you?" Asuna spat.

"Yeah…but tried is the key word. They weren't gonna be layin' any hands on me or my Zazie." Kendra replied with a sneer. That's when Asuna could feel her wicked grin appearing once again as she witnessed a blush creep across Zazie's face. Kendra took notice of Asuna's smile, _'oh shit, I didn't mean to say dat…'_ Kendra thought.

"Oh ho! She's YOUR Zazie now?" Asuna asked. Kendra glanced back at Zazie, she felt hesitant about revealing their relationship to them without Zazie's consent. Zazie was about to nod but before doing so, she felt an uneasy churn in the pit of her stomach…she felt fear. Kendra could see it in Zazie's eyes, her hesitance, and that's all she needed to know before turning back to Asuna and saying

"Yeah…she's my best friend after all." Setsuna and Konoka shared a quick glance before thinking, _'it has to be more than friendship. After what I've seen today, it just has to be.'_ Asuna wasn't fully convinced by Kendra's words but decided to yield her questions about their relations for now.

"So how did you manage to escape and get those bruises?" Asuna asked.

"I just…took care of 'em and got a lil hurt, dat's all." Kendra responded. Asuna felt her right eyebrow twitch.

"Okay, so how did you take care of them?"

"I told you I ain't givin' details didn't I?" Kendra said. Asuna slammed her hands on the table.

"Oh come on! Why're you so stubborn about this? We want to make sure that these guys never bother you again and we want to hel-"

"They won't be botherin' nobody anymore since I wupped their asses!" Kendra interrupted with an angry outburst, yet to everyone's amazement, including Zazie's, her ever present bored expression was still plastered to her face. On the inside, Kendra was stunned at her sudden loss in composure and angry that such a minor conversation would push her over the brink like this. Everyone stared at Kendra in pure shock; Negi and Asuna were frozen where they stood, Konoka moved back from Kendra in fear and Setsuna hand was hovering just above her sword. Chamo, who recovered from Asuna's attack and was still puffing on that same cigar, decided to finally speak up.

"Wait, you're telling me you beat up the people who assaulted you?" Kendra was silent for a long moment.

"Yeah…I did. But, um…I should apologize…for dat. I don' know what came over me, I just….I don' know." Kendra stared down at the carpet in shame; she couldn't remember the last time she raised her voice like that besides the fight she had with those men. Negi recovered from his brief shock.

"That's quite alright, Kendra-San. I can understand that you must still feel upset about those men attacking you earlier." Negi smiled warmly at Kendra.

"Thanks…teach." Kendra replied. Zazie placed a hand gently on Kendra's shoulder and smiled at Kendra, a small smile but still a pleasant one. Kendra flashed a smile as well before quickly erasing it from her features. Setsuna shifted her attention away from her sword.

"I must admit, that is quite admirable of you, Kendra-San, to take on a group of men on your own." Kendra only nodded, not even trusting her own emotions at the moment. Chamo scurried on to the table for everyone's attention.

"If you ask me, this makes Ane-San here even more valuable. Not only is she a Magic Sensor, but she has some fighting skills too."

"That's right; you said that Kendra-San was valuable! So what did you mean by that, Chamo?" Negi asked.

"I did some research on Magic Sensors before and learned something very interesting about them. Turns out when they make pactios with their partners, they sometimes receive the most powerful and rarest artifacts. Now this is only sometimes, seventy percent of the time, their artifacts are of the average magic level." Chamo said. Negi felt a blush creep across his face. Kendra noticed Negi's blush, _'I don' have a good feelin' 'bout dis.'_ Kendra thought. Zazie felt her face redden as well, but it was for a completely different reason. _'A pactio? No way, Negi-San is not kissing Kendra!'_ Zazie nervously played with the edge of her skirt, trying her best to repress the jealously and possessive nature raging within her heart. Zazie heard all about how a pactio was performed from her classmate's discussions; mostly because of Haruna since she would spread the news like wildfire.

"A rare and powerful artifact does sound amazing, but to make a p-pactio with Kendra-San is a bit…" Negi stuttered. Konoka finished healing Kendra and went to sit back next to Setsuna.

"Thankya Jesus… " Kendra whispered under her breath.

"Come on Aniki! All you gotta do is give Ane-San here a big ole smooch!" Chamo shouted. He made kissy sounds at Negi while slightly puckering his lips. Once again, Asuna, cheeks stained red, grabbed Chamo into a death grip before throwing him into the wall…really hard.

BAM!

"ACK!" Chamo shouted right before he hit the wall. His little ermine body slowly slid down and onto the carpet floor where only his tail would disturbingly twitch every few seconds.

"Enough with your perverted ideas, you damn ermine!" Asuna yelled. Kendra watched Chamo twitch for a few seconds before asking Negi

"So…I have to kiss you to make a pactio?" Negi quickly nodded, not trusting his own voice at all. _'And there goes the reason for my bad feelin''_ Kendra thought. She turned back to Zazie again for a response, only to get a cold chill shooting up her spine from the fearful force in front of her. Zazie didn't look any different, but her magic energy was wildly emerging from her body and hitting Kendra like a whip, _'Holy shit, she's dat jealous?'_ Kendra thought before immediately turning back around.

"Ummmm, I think I'll pass on the pactio." Kendra replied in a hurried tone. She could feel Zazie's magic energy slowly receding and quietly sighed to herself in relief. Konoka smiled knowingly at Kendra and Zazie, _'I see who wears the pants in the relationship'_ she thought while giggling. Negi let of a sigh of relief.

"Yes…I think it's best that we don't jump to such…inappropriate activities."

"But still…it would have been interesting to see what Kendra's artifact looked like." Konoka said. Setsuna was thinking along the same lines as well.

"Yes, it would have, since the artifacts are made from your soul and the magic energy put into the pactio." Setsuna stated. Yet again, Chamo recovered from Asuna's attempted murder and climbed back onto Negi's shoulder.

"The Ane-Sans here have a point! Don't you want to see your artifact? If you think about it this way, Kendra-San here would be a great addition to Ala Alba and we don't have a Magic Sensor yet. So in a way, this pactio is for the good of protecting this school!" Chamo announced in triumph, feeling that there was no way to argue with his logic. At least that's what he felt…until Kendra flatly replied.

"Nope, don' wanna."

"What to do you mean no?" Chamo asked annoyed. "It's just one little peck on the lips!"

"And dat's the problem. My lips ain't touchin' someone I don' love…or a lil ten year-old teacher who I barely even know at dat." Kendra said.

"Baloney!" Chamo shouted.

"Age doesn't matter when it comes to kissing! Aniki has done it before with all the other Ane-Sans in here!" All the girls and Negi blushed, except for Chamo who was busy smoking and Kendra who was feeling a little uneasy at the moment. _'Wait, all of the girls in dis room? Don' tell me even…'_ Kendra slowly turned back to Zazie; a hint of shakiness was heard in her voice.

"Did you make a…pactio wit sensei too?" Zazie quickly shook her head in defiance. The only reason she blushed was from remembering all those pactios Negi had…a lot of pactios at that. Kendra unconsciously let out a sigh of relief and turned back around to face the still blushing girls and boy.

"So teach here planted one on all of y'all? Damn teach…dat's pimpin'. You even got swords girl and sally sunshine." _'Heheh, I just couldn't help it. I can't help but embarrass 'em every now and again.'_ Kendra thought mischievously. Setsuna's blush was crimson red.

"N-n-no, you misunderstand Kendra-San! It's nothing like that!" Setsuna shouted frantically.

"It's a joke, swords girl. Lighten up." Kendra stated nonchalantly.

"Oh…um, of course, a joke." Setsuna replied nervously as she inwardly fought to bring down her blush. Konoka, who just couldn't resist anymore, tackle hugged Setsuna to the floor while screaming

"Secchan's blush is so KAWAII!" Setsuna turned three deeper shades of red, _'hahahah! She looks like she'll turn purple any minute! I gotta admit dat these two are adorable!"_ Kendra thought.

"K-k-k-k-konochan!" Setsuna whined as Konoka cuddled their cheeks together. Negi just smiled innocently at his students and closest friends; feeling somewhat nostalgic watching the two girls. That is…until Setsuna reached her limit and passed out from the overflow of blood rushing to her, unbelievably scarlet red, face. Konoka didn't notice and just continued to torture her swords woman with her intimacy. Negi's nostalgia was quickly replaced with childish panic.

"Konoka-San! S-Setsuna-San fainted!" He ran over to the cuddling princess and flustered guardian; attempting to rescue her. But, no one's sure if Setsuna would want to be saved or not from Konoka's embrace. Asuna sweat dropped as she witnessed the child teacher pry Setsuna from Konoka's arms. Kendra and Zazie sat in silence and decided to enjoy their classmate's weird yet entertaining antics unfold before them. Minutes of yelling, whining, and Chamo's occasional comments, such as **'good Ane-San, now give her a big ole chuuu!'**, pass by until the chaos was broken with a sudden ringtone playing.

'_Dreams, that's where I have to go_

_to see your beautiful face anymore_

_I stare at a picture of you _

_and listen to the radio'_

'_Oh, oh, there's a conversation_

_we both admit we had it good _

_but until then it's alienation_

_I know that much is understood' _

'_And I realize_

_if you ask me how I'm doin'_

_I would say that I'm doin' just fine_

_I would lie and say that you're not on my mind…'_

Kendra urgently reached into her jeans pocket and pulled out her phone. She stared at the screen and saw Deveron's, her friend's, name. _'Dat's weird…he a'ready called once today. Hope there ain't nothin' wrong.'_ Kendra thought. She quickly stood up and said

"I'll be back, give me like five minutes." With that said, she walked out the dorm room and into the halls. Kendra walked a few paces away from the door, leaned against the wall, and then finally pressed the call button on her phone.

"Yo Deveron, whazzup?" Kendra greeted casually.

"Hey Kendra, I ain't call you at a bad time, did I?" Deveron asked. _'His voice sounds weird, like he's scared or somethin'. But dis is Deveron I'm talkin' to here, only seriously bad things can make him scared…'_ Kendra thought nervously. She suddenly felt the inside of her stomach churn from the fear rising within her thoughts.

"Nah, you didn't." Kendra replied, trying to sound as normal as possible.

"But why did you call me Deveron? Feelin' lonely?" Kendra teased.

"Now ain't the time for jokes Kendra. Somethin' happened to your ole man again…" Kendra's eyes widened in shock.

"…what?"

"His health ain't gettin' no better, in fact, it got worse. He had another seizure and is in the hospital right now!"

"…you're bullshittin' me, you've gotta be bullsh…" Kendra's mind just couldn't accept it. She knew the problems her dad would face if he had another seizure; one of those problems…was a very possible and soon expected death.

"W-what…how bad-how is he?" Kendra stammered; her voice a barely audible whisper.

"…"

"Tell me dammit!" Kendra shouted.

"The doctor isn't sure, but your dad likely ain't gonna make it…Kendra, I'm so sor-"

CLICK!

Kendra hung up the phone. As she lowered the phone away from her ear, she slowly slid down the wall she was leaning on and fell to her knees. She stared at the floor in bewildered, her eyes empty of any traces of emotion.

"He'll be okay…he'll be okay…he'll be okay…" Kendra repeated this over and over. She tried so hard to convince herself with those words, but it would have never been enough. _'Why? Why did dis have to happen? Why happen as soon as I come to Japan, as soon as I leave home? Is this a sign? That I should've stayed wit everyone instead of leavin' 'em behind? My parents, my school, the only friend I trusted beside Zazie, Deveron, did I make a mistake?'_ Kendra's mind was racing.

"Why…" she whispered. She held up her phone again and stared at the screen. The time read a quarter 'til twelve, she's been out in the halls for fifteen minutes. _'Oh, time wants to fly by now, but not durin' classes? Dat's fucked up…'_ Kendra thought, attempting to lighten her mood. She sighed loudly. It didn't work at all. _'Guess I should get back before Zazie gets worried.'_ Kendra rose from the floor, straightened up her clothes and grabbed the dorm room knob. She inhaled deeply and restored her bored expression; with her thoughts finally back together, Kendra opened the door and entered. Zazie, who clearly had worried written all over her face, stood and walked up to Kendra. She placed a hand on Kendra's shoulders and looked into those hazel eyes she adored so much, only to find a tiny hint of despair hidden within them. Kendra didn't try to look away and hide what was in her eyes; Zazie could read her like a map, even without the compass, and just gently removed Zazie's hand from her shoulder.

"I'm fine…my friend just called me for somethin'" Kendra said sadly. Her calm expression really was an iron mask, to be able to cover up that much sadness even scared Kendra herself sometimes, _'years of practice, I guess…' ._ Zazie only nodded, not believing a word of what Kendra just said. Setsuna, who recovered from her intimacy overload and who quickly earned the title of Kendra's surprisingly good translator, heard the sadness within her voice.

"Are you okay, Kendra-San? You don't sound too well."

"I'm fine…cool really. I'd like to thank y'all for healin' me, but I think me and Zazie should leave now. It's gettin' late…"Kendra replied. Konoka smiled warmly at Kendra.

"You're very welcome Kendra-San. You and Zazie should come over more often; it was fun having your company." Kendra only nodded; she just couldn't find the energy to crack the smallest of a smile. Negi also smiled at Kendra.

"I agree, it was nice having both of you here." Once again, Kendra only nodded. Chamo popped up on top of Negi's head and said

"Are you sure you don't want to do the pactio?" the perverted weasel wiggled his eyebrows at Kendra. At least this time, Kendra did something besides nod; instead she shot the rodent a death glare that would bring even the grim reaper down to his knees. Chamo gulped and ran into Negi's jacket pocket for protection.

"It was a joke Ane-san, a joke!" _'Dat's what I thought…'_ Kendra thought angrily. Asuna, on the other hand, was sitting on her bed with her arms crossed and looking in the opposite direction of Kendra. _'Childish…just childish'_ Kendra thought. Kendra wasn't going to wait for a reply from the stubborn red head and reached for the door. She was about to step out before she heard Asuna grumble

"It was actually…kind of fun with you around…and stuff." Kendra grinned inwardly, _'I knew she'd come around.'_

"Yeah…it was a bit fun for me too." Kendra stated before she finally closed the door after Zazie. Kendra turned to Zazie and asked her

"How 'bout I walk you to your dorm?" Zazie finally let a smile grace her features.

"I'd love that." Kendra smiled as well and intertwined her fingers with Zazie's. They arrived at Zazie's dorm and before she opened her door, she turned around and pressed her lips to Kendra's. Kendra didn't show the slightest resistance, in fact, she was hoping for a good night kiss, and gladly kissed Zazie back. When they parted, Kendra grinned at Zazie and whispered

"Night, Zazie. I love you."

"I love you too, Kendra, good night." Zazie entered her dorm and gently closed the door behind her. Kendra always did feel better being with Zazie, but unfortunately, it definitely wasn't enough to make her forget the phone call. She walked back to her dorm, her head hung low and her thoughts were deep in worry the entire time. She walked up to her door and fished her keys out of her pants pocket. She entered and flicked the lights on only to be welcomed by her bland, empty, single bunk dorm room. _'Can anything else possibly make dis night feel any gloomier?'_ Kendra thought irritably. She changed into her pajamas, which was a lime-green tank top and forest green shorts. She literally fell back onto her bed and stared into the ceiling as her bed springs settled from the impact. Minutes seemed like hours as she laid there, her thoughts focusing solely on her father's health. Finally, her body gave into the exhaustion from today's events as her eyes slowly fluttered closed.

_'Dad, please don' die…'_

* * *

><p>Dun, Dun, Dunnn! No, not Kendra's father! Yes...that was a bit cruel to do to Kendra's dad, but the story must go like this!<p>

But anyways, please leave a review! X)


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: I do not own Negima or any of it's characters. Also, I do not own "Tears Of An Angel", all rights of ownership belong to the rightful artist, RyanDan. Now please enjoy the story!

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 11<strong>

Pitch blackness; that was all Kendra could see. She was standing in an empty void, the sound of her own breathing echoing through the atmosphere. She looked down at her feet, she couldn't even tell what she was standing on, _'so I'm literally walkin' on darkness? Where the hell am I anyway?'_ Kendra thought. She turned a whole circle and could still see nothing but endless black.

"This is crazy! How do I get outta here!" Kendra shouted. She could always keep her composure through tough times, but when it came to rare situations like this, her cold outer shell would crumble in mere seconds. She dashed off in a random direction, hoping, praying that she would find an escape. Kendra didn't know exactly how long she ran, it could've been minutes or hours, even days, but it seemed like she was going in circles; to be more accurate, like she's going nowhere. Kendra stopped running and breathed heavily to catch her breath. _'Well…looks like dhat ain't gonna get me outta here'_ Kendra looked around again to find any clues; hopefully some light or an object to lead her way out. Kendra turned around, only to stand frozen still at the sight before her.

_BEEP, BEEP, BEEP…_

It was her father, lying in a hospital bed with the monitor right next to it. Kendra was hesitant to approach what was in front of her, because she wasn't even sure if that was really her father. His body seemed lifeless, except for his nearly closed eyelids and how his pupils looked to have rolled to the back of his head. He was wearing a hospital gown, but it was dirty and torn, like it was just picked out of the garbage and thrown on him. His dark skin lost its glow and had become dull and shriveled up. Kendra took a few steps closer cautiously. She stood at her father's bedside and stared at him angrily, she wasn't upset with her dad; she was upset to see him like this. _'My god…dad, what happened to you? Dis ain't right! Dis shouldn't happen to you! You don' deserve dis, after all that you've done for me! You saved me from the storm, helped Zazie without the slightest hesitation…to think that back then I actually thought you were a cold and scary man! '_

"Daddy! I'm so sorry, dad, I'm so sorry! This is my fault! I knew how sick you were gettin' and yet I still left you, mom, and Deveron behind! You needed me and I left! I don' deserve to be your daughter!" Kendra shouted as tears began to pool down her cheeks before plopping onto her father's gown. She got down on her knees and rested her head on the side of the bed, sobbing uncontrollably, that is, until she felt the bed shaking violently. She looked up to see her father having another seizure right in front of her; she panicked as she watched her father's mouth begin to foam.

BE-BEEP, BE-BEEP, BE-BEEP!

The beeps from the monitor sped up and became louder with every passing second. Kendra didn't know what to do; all she could possibly think of was shake her dad, begging him not to die.

"Don' die dad, don' die! Come on, what'll mom do when you're gone huh? What'll I do when you're gone? I can't even think 'bout livin' every day wit the thought dat you died! Please!"

BEEEEEEEEEP….

The monitor went flatline. Kendra couldn't believe her eyes, her ears, this very moment…she couldn't believe any of it. Her dad died right in front of her. She hugged her arms and began trembling, the moment of her dad's death replaying over and over in front of her eyes. She looked down at the dead body, an expression of pure pain forever steeled into his features. Kendra took a small step back, she couldn't accept this, and she'll never accept it. She turned around and was about to run away until a shaking, shriveled up, cold hand held onto Kendra's right shoulder in a steel grip. Now she was trembling twice as hard as she slowly turned back around. It was none other the just recently deceased father, his eyes white, head rolling around his shoulders as if his neck couldn't support it, and his face still cringed up in that same painful expression. He slowly opened his mouth, his jawline slacking to the side.

"You did this to meeeee…." His voice was hoarse, like his throat's been dry for centuries. Kendra's eyes widened.

"No, I didn't…I didn't mean to…" She whispered.

"You killed me! You are to blame!" He continued.

"No-"

"You did…"

"I didn't! I just-"

"You heartless murderer! Look at what you've done!"

"I just-"

"You will pay…"

"But I didn't do it!" Kendra tried to pry his hand from her shoulder, which only proved to be futile. In fact, every time she tried to pull away, her father would squeeze tighter; causing a sharp pain to shoot through her shoulder.

"Let me go!" Kendra shouted desperately.

"Now you must suffer like I have…" Her father said as he looked down, Kendra glanced down as well and immediately let out a small yell of horror. Two doors formed on the floor and swung open; countless amounts of hands wiggled out of the doorway and reached for Kendra's feet. They didn't seem like human hands though, they were thin, limp, and were completely covered in blood. The flimsy, bloody appendages wrapped around Kendra's ankles and began to advance up her body; dragging her body to the doors with them. She tried to shake them off, pull them off, even break them off, but it was impossible. Her father released Kendra's shoulder and laughed maniacally, his head still rolling uncontrollably.

"Hahahaha! This doorway leads to all the despair that a human being itself can't ever even try to imagine! You will live there for eternity and suffer like the way I have!"

"NO! Noooooo!" Kendra's head was the only thing above the entrance, slowly being wrapped in the hands as well. She started to sink lower and lower as her vision was beginning to fade. The doors began to swing closed, making her surroundings even more pitch black than before, which she didn't even think was possible. Finally, before the doors closed all the way, Kendra shouted in one last desperate attempt to save herself.

"Dad, I'm sorry! I love you dad and I'm so sorry!"

The doors closed.

* * *

><p>"DAD!" Kendra shot up in her bed. Her vision was blurry from her tear filled eyes, her bed sheets were soaked with sweat, and she was breathing harshly. <em>'My god…dat was the worst nightmare in my entire life!'<em> She wiped her eyes dry and looked at the clock on her wall, it was already twelve forty-five.

"Damn, I should get up and get some breakfast or somethin'" She swung her legs around to the side of her bed and looked over at her bedside table. Her phone was placed next to her computer, fully charged, and practically begging for Kendra to use it, _'I should call and see what happened to dad…'_ Kendra grabbed her phone and flipped it open. She scrolled down her contacts list and stopped at Shon, her mom's name. _'Maybe I should call Deveron instead, ma probably isn't in the mood to talk, and also, I gotta apologize to Deveron about hangin' up on him last night.'_ Kendra thought. She went down to Deveron's name and pressed the call button. A few rings later, Deveron finally picked up and answered.

"…hey." He greeted groggily, Deveron wasn't the type to wake up early on Saturdays, and he'd rather sleep in until it was afternoon.

"Hey Deveron, sorry if I woke you…I just wanted to know-"

" 'Bout your dad, right." Deveron interrupted.

"Yeah…"

"Well…I'm not sure how to say dis, but…"

"He's not…dead is he?" Kendra asked, feeling her heart drop into her stomach.

"No, he's not dead. He's…in a coma right now. Dis seizure was a really bad one. Your mom and me had to sleep in the hospital waitin' room all night because the doctors were havin' trouble gettin' him stable and stuff."

"Wait, you're in da hospital right now?"

"Yeah, and let me tell ya, these damn chairs weren't doin' my back any justice." Kendra lightly chuckled.

"You sound like my uncle Bubba. But, back to my dad, you said he's in a coma right? Do they know how long he's gonna be like dat?"

"Doctors told us a few minutes ago dat they don' know when he's gonna wake up. It could be days, weeks, months…even years." Now Kendra's heart really did fall into her stomach, the feeling similar to someone punching her. _'Oh god…'_

"S-so you really don' know then?"

"Nah, we don'…" Deveron replied sadly. Kendra sighed deeply before continuing.

"Well, um, listen. I also called to apologize for hangin' up on you like dat. I just couldn't-"

"I get it Kendra, you don' have to explain. If it was one of my parents, I would've done the same thing."

"Oh, okay then…well, dat's all I wanted to call for. So maybe I'll call ya later."

"A'ight Kendra, if dat's all you need, then…bye."

"…bye." Kendra pressed the end call button and flipped her phone closed. She gently placed her phone back on the table and then rested her elbows on her knees, hunched over staring at the wall, thinking about how to go about this whole situation. _'He's not dead…but bein' in a coma ain't dat much better. I feel so guilty…but why? I didn't make him sick, his health did. It's not like me leavin' could make his health any worse…would it?'_

"Ugh! What the hell is wrong wit me?" Kendra shouted angrily as she swept back her hair with both hands.

"I haven't felt dis upset since I saw Zazie cryin' on the day we…met." Kendra murmured as her memories suddenly began to trail back to that very moment, the moment when Zazie told Kendra of her tragic story. She remembered Zazie's tears, she remembered the sympathy she felt for her, and remembered the happiness she felt from cheering Zazie up with her singing. _'It has been a while since I've done dat…I wonder if it would still work for me.'_ Kendra thought as a sad smile came across her face.

"It'd be better than sittin' here and worryin' all day 'bout the what-ifs." Kendra said to herself. With that said she got up and rummaged through her clothes for something to wear. Once she found a set of clothes to wear, she went into the bathroom, changed, brushed her teeth, combed her hair, washed her face, and then finally came out. She had on a plain white t-shirt with an unbuttoned long- sleeve black jacket over it. She was wearing dark grey jeans with tears at her thighs and calf along with a pair of black and white Air Jordans. She walked over to her bed, pulled off the sweat-soaked sheets and threw them into the dirty clothes basket. Kendra then walked into her kitchen and searched her fridge for something quick to eat. She settled for a green apple, granola bar, and orange juice; now in Kendra's case, she would prefer some eggs, bacon, pancakes and sausage, but cooking would've taken up more time than she wanted to and just had to make do with the small proportioned 'meal' instead. She quickly ate her breakfast and walked over to her bedside table to get her phone. Kendra shoved her phone into her pocket, turned around and began to walking to the door until she almost tripped over something.

"Oh shi-"Kendra nearly yelled before she caught herself, using the wall to hold herself up. When she regained her balance, she looked down behind her and saw the velvet 'KAZE' bag._ 'Oh yeah! I was supposed to give dis to Zazie. I must've knocked it onto the floor with my feet last night, I'll take dis wit me.'_ Kendra swung the bag over her shoulders and exited her dorm…

* * *

><p>"That is all, you may leave Sakurazaki-San." Said the headmaster of Mahora Academy. Setsuna, who was seated in a chair across from the headmaster's desk, stood up and bowed lowly.<p>

"Yes, headmaster." She made her way to the exit, but before she slid the door closed, she heard the old man ask

"Oh and are you treating my granddaughter well? And by well…I mean _**really**_ well." The headmaster stroked his beard as he cackled at the image before him. Even though Setsuna's back was facing him, he could see that her ears were crimson red and steam was rising above her head. After a few long awkward moments of silence, Setsuna swiftly turned around on her heels, face still extremely flushed, inhaled deeply through her nose and then stated slowly.

"Yes, I treat her very well." Her cheeks were still stained red, but she managed to plaster a confident smile onto her face, feeling a sense of triumph for not faltering under the headmaster's teasing.

"Oh, really?" the headmaster shot back, still stroking his long beard.

"Yes, _**really**_." Setsuna added extra emphasis on the word really as her grin slightly grew. This caused the headmaster to give in with a loud cackle, followed by a coughing fit. He caught his breath and smiled warmly at Setsuna.

"As long as my granddaughter is happy with your…treatment, I wish you two the best of luck with each other as always." He waved his hand dismissingly at Setsuna, signaling her that she could finally leave. Setsuna said her thanks, bowed once more and then left. At first, Setsuna was just going to head straight to Konoka's dorm to see if she wanted to go on a date today, but, she thought maybe she should take a walk around the school campus first; making sure the barrier was holding up and didn't sense any foreign presences. As she walked down the halls, she saw Kendra just walking around the corner, she also happened to notice a small bag on her shoulders. Setsuna walked down to end of the halls at the turn Kendra just took. She instantly recognized this hall; it was the hall full of elective classes along with the music room which closed off the other end. Kendra didn't turn into any of the classes; she walked straight into the music room. _'What's she going into the music room for?'_ Setsuna thought. She hesitated a little at first, but slowly made her way towards the music room as well. She stopped in front of the cracked door and peered between the gap, Kendra was standing next to a piano with her hand rested on top of it. Kendra's eyes were filled with sorrow as her fingertips traced over the piano's elegant wooden designs. She slowly opened up the piano, her hands slightly trembling, why, Setsuna didn't know. Kendra sat down and stared at the black and white keys before her, _'well…at least my years of torturous piano lessons didn't go to waste.'_ Kendra thought as she raised her hands above the keys. She exhaled and closed her eyes before gently lowering her hands to the keys. She started playing; for the first few seconds, it seemed like she was simply pressing one individual key at a time, but as the seconds passed, it became more complex, more beautiful, and sadder. But nowhere nearly as sad as Kendra's expression; it was a mixture of passion, regret, guilt, and depression…all wrapped together with her woeful, yet powerful singing voice…

'_Cover my eyes_

_Cover my ears_

_Tell me these words are a lie_

_It can't be true_

_That I'm losing you_

_The sun cannot fall from the sky'_

It would've been an understatement to say that Setsuna was stunned. She didn't think she'd hear such an empowering voice even though it sounded so vulnerable at the same time. The only other time she heard such a lovely voice was from her Ojou-sama, Konochan, but their vocals were different. Her Konochan's voice was sweet and angelic, Kendra's voice, on the other hand, was potent, dominant, _'mighty…'_ Setsuna thought in thunderstruck awe.

'_Can you hear heaven cry_

_Tears of an angel_

_Tears of aaaaaaaa..._

_Tears of an angel_

_Tears of an angel'_

'_Stop every clock_

_Stars are in shock_

_The river would run to the sea_

_I won't let you fly_

_I won't say goodbye_

_I won't let you slip away from me'_

'_Can you hear heaven cry_

_Tears of an angel_

_Tears of aaaaaaaa..._

_Tears of an angel_

_Tears of an angel'_

Tears started to stream down Kendra's cheeks, but her singing didn't falter, she was determined to finish, singing as beautifully as possible for her father. Somewhere in her mind, even though she knew it was impossible, she wanted this song to reach her father's ears, coma or no coma; she wanted him to hear it. _'Please lord, let my pleas reach him…let my pleas reach you as well…answer my prayers. Save him, god!'_ Kendra began to sing louder, putting her entire soul into the lyrics. The tempo of her key playing increased a minor amount, but it still made goose bumps rise on Setsuna's skin.

'_So hold on_

_Be strong_

_Every day on we'll go_

_I'm here, don't you fear'_

Kendra stared up and shouted at the heavens, almost as if shouting at god, placing all the blame, guilt and anger on him. She didn't care if it was selfish, she had to do it, and she had to release her grief on something. In her perspective, who else better to use, than the all mighty soul himself who chooses everyone's, everything's, fate to come…her dad's possible fate to come.

'_Little one don't let go_

_(ooooooooooohhhhhhhhh)_

_Don't let go_

_(ooooooooooohhhhhhhhh)_

_Don't let go_

_(ooooooooooohhhhhhhhh)'_

Kendra lowered her gaze back down to the piano, already near her breaking point as the tears began to pour heavier down her face. With still a flicker of stubbornness left in her, she held back for the last few lines.

'_Cover my eyes_

_Cover my ears_

_Tell me these words are a lie'_

Kendra slowly dragged her hands across the keys, before they fell and rested on the sides of her seat. Her body trembled as she began to quietly sob to herself, completely unaware of Setsuna still watching. Setsuna moved away from the door and sat down on the cold, tile floors as she leaned against the wall. _'I think…I saw something I wasn't supposed to…but still, Kendra, she looked so…emotionally broken'_ Setsuna sighed heavily. She leaned over and peeked through the crack again, making sure Kendra wasn't coming,_ 'being found on the floor next to the door isn't easy to find an excuse for…'_ Kendra began mumbling words in between her sobs; Setsuna could only here a few words, but those words explained all too easily what was causing Kendra's distress.

"Sorry… (_hic_)…dad, don't (_hic, hic_)…d-die… (_hic_)…" Setsuna's eyes softened, it really was sad to see someone go through such burdens by themselves. Even though Setsuna thought this, she was still reluctant to go in and talk to her. She wasn't an expert when it came to emotions, _'heck, took me years to realize I loved Konochan and then **months **later to actually confess, but…'_ Setsuna exhaled quietly and pinched the bridge of her nose,_ 'I can't believe I'm doing this'_ Setsuna stood up, straightened her uniform jacket and gently coughed into her fist. Kendra stopped dead silent and sat rock still; she didn't want to believe that someone was there…the whole time. She turned her head and slowly raised her pupils to gaze at Setsuna. _'You have got to be fuckin' kiddin' me…'_ Kendra thought bitterly, she couldn't believe someone besides Zazie saw all the sorrow she held in, all the passion she put into her singing, she just wished life had a rewind button right then and there.

"How long" Kendra stated bluntly, slowly redeeming her bored expression, although she wouldn't be able to hide her bloodshot eyes and occasional sniffling. Setsuna walked up and stood next to the piano, she stared at the floor nervously for a few moments before replying

"…the entire time" her lips formed a small, guilty smile. Kendra looked away from Setsuna, suddenly finding the piano keys very intriguing. Setsuna sighed, _'I can't help if she doesn't open up a little'_ Setsuna pulled up a chair and scooted next to Kendra's seat, she sat down and awkwardly placed her hand on Kendra's shoulder. Kendra, who preferred her personal space, snapped her attention back to Setsuna with her right eyebrow raised in suspicion. Setsuna didn't feel any more comfortable about this than Kendra did, she figured she'd just try something her Konochan did to comfort her, but it soon proved that she just couldn't do it so easily like Konoka. So, only to add on to the awkward moment, Setsuna sat there silently, her mouth opening and closing, unable to find the right words and her hand still resting on Kendra's shoulder. Setsuna sweat dropped, _'ummm…what now? Okay Setsuna, just think about it, what would Konochan say? You'll feel better after a hard day's work of cleaning? No! Uh, um…a hug is the best medicine?...okay, I'm ashamed for even thinking that. Ah jeez!...oh yeah! Konochan cheered me up that one time when she…'_ a blush flared up across Setsuna's cheeks, _'I don't think Kendra would appreciate it as much as I did-wait! Wait! I'm getting off track!-"_

"Swords girl" Kendra snapped Setsuna out of her thoughts; she was watching the bashful swords woman the entire time, now glaring in annoyance.

"Eh?"

"Your hand"

"Oh, right!" Setsuna immediately removed her hand from Kendra.

"Swords girl"

"Yes?"

"Your nose"

"What?" Setsuna asked bewildered.

"…it's bleedin' "

"Eh?" Setsuna ran her hand over the area between her nose and upper lip, Kendra was right, Setsuna was having a nosebleed during her fantasy about Konochan.

"It seems so…but enough about me. Kendra-San, what's wrong? Weren't you crying earlier?" Kendra sighed irritably.

"Look…just forget what you saw today, a'ight?"

"No, after what I saw, it's obvious that you need someone to talk to about this." Setsuna replied sternly, finally regaining her well known cool demeanor. Kendra scoffed

"Heh, whateva…I can handle my own problems…it ain't nothin' I have to talk to anyone 'bout. And what's up wit you? Walkin' in here and tryin' to comfort me, if dat's what you wanna call it; suddenly actin' like you're my guidance counselor or somethin'?"

"I just thought that you wanted to get some things off your chest, Kendra-San. I know how it feels…" Kendra's eyebrow twitched and her lips slightly curled back, showing clenched teeth, _'she knows how it feels…she KNOWS how it feels…SHE KNOWS HOW IT FEELS?'_ That line was working on Kendra's last nerve, she didn't know why, but ever since she came to this school her temper has been rising by the hour.

"DON'T SAY THAT!" Kendra shouted and stood up out of her seat, sending it flinging back and hitting the floor in a loud clang. Setsuna, who wasn't fazed in the least, stayed seated and calmly stated

"I know how it feels."

"NO YOU DON'T! HOW DO YOU KNOW, HUH? HOW DO YOU KNOW WHAT I FEEL? ALL THAT HAPPENED TO ME IN A MATTER OF TWO FUCKING DAYS HAS BEEN MORE STRESSFUL THAN THE DAYS IN MY ENTIRE LIFE!" Kendra's hands tightly balled up into fists at her sides, trembling from the stress that's eating away at her.

"YEAH, SURE, OKAY, AT FIRST IT WAS GREAT! I FOUND ZAZIE, THE LOVE OF MY LIFE, BUT AFTER THAT, EVERYTHING WENT DOWNHILL! FIRST, THESE BASTARDS TRY TO ATTACK US, WHICH LEFT ME IN BRUISES! THEN THERE'S MY DAD IN A COMA FROM HIS SEIZURE AND IS LITERALLY KNOCKING ON DEATH'S DOOR! THEN I'M HAVING CRAZY NIGHTMARES ABOUT MY ZOMBIE FATHER SENDING ME TO AN ETERNITY OF DESPAIR AND FINALLY, I'M TRYING TO KEEP A SMILING FACE IN FRONT OF ZAZIE!" Kendra held her hair in her hands, pacing back and forth; fresh tears starting to form in the corners of her eyes.

"And I just…don' want to worry Zazie 'bout dis…but don' you FUCKING dare tell me dat you know how it feels, cause you don't!" Setsuna, who sat quietly and absorbed every word, smirked at Kendra.

"Seems like it was easier to make you spill the news than I thought." Realization struck Kendra like a slap across the face, _'oh my god…I got played by swords girl…'_ Kendra stood silent in pure shock with her mouth gaped open, slowly processing what just happened. It began to make her wonder if this was how Zazie felt when she told her how her demon family disowned her without realizing it. _'Damn…'_ Kendra thought shell shocked. A few silent minutes later, Setsuna coughed into her fist again, snapping Kendra out of her stunned state.

"Now let me see if I got this right. You and Zazie are…together, those guys you told us about earlier managed to hurt you pretty badly, your father's in a coma, soon nearing death, you're having nightmares about him and you're trying to keep all the burden to yourself. Did I miss anything?" Setsuna asked plainly. At the beginning of Setsuna's analysis, Kendra lightly blushed a shade of pink, but it immediately faded as she explained the rest. Kendra hung her head and exhaled a long sigh, _'I give up…'_ she thought tiredly. Kendra turned around, picked up her seat and sat back down. She rested her elbows on her knees while clenching her hands over her mouth in a contemplating manner; staring grimly into Setsuna's onyx eyes.

"You see, I just…" Kendra started, but hesitating to continue. Setsuna sat up in her seat, curiosity peaking and giving full attention.

"Yes?" the swords woman encouraged.

"I just…can't help but feel guilty 'bout all of dis, even though it ain't my fault. You know, 'bout my dad?"

"Are there any logical reasons for you to feel guilty?" Setsuna asked.

"I was thinkin' dat maybe, me movin' to Japan was one of the causes for my dad's health actin' up."

"How so?"

"Well, my dad's health started to get worse way before I even started to learn Japanese. My mom said dat I should just drop dis whole movin' to Japan dream and stay to help and take care of dad. But I refused, I wanted to learn Japanese and find Zazie as soon as possible, I was bein' selfish. Then, my mom, her health wasn't all dat great either, at least not all dat great to provide for herself and my dad's medical bills, and yet, I still left, blinded by my own stubbornness. The only real support I got was from Deveron…"

"Who's Deveron?" Kendra's gaze shifted to floor before staring back at Setsuna.

"He…was the only real friend I had since Zazie left, he would be the only person to talk to me at school, and wouldn't mind when I talked to him sometimes 'bout Zazie. We had a good friendship…he's my homeboy and I'm her homegirl…" A hint of pity glinted in Kendra's eyes before they returned to their depressed state, which didn't go unnoticed by Setsuna, _'she's hiding something, there's more to this Deveron than she's telling me…'_

"I see…so Deveron-San was the only one who supported your goal, what else?" Setsuna asked; maybe even interrogated.

"Well…I'm feelin' a bit torn between stayin' here for Zazie…and goin' back for dad. I mean, I'm choosin' between a love and a life, my father's life. I'm just so pissed at myself, I hate feelin' so lost, so confused!" Kendra stated irritably. Setsuna crossed her arms and leaned back in her chair, a tiny, yet confident, smile on her face. Kendra eyed her suspiciously, _'why da hell's she smilin'?'_ she thought angrily.

"So even though your mother asked you to stay, you still left for Japan to find Zazie, and you think that is selfish of you." Setsuna stated rather than asked. Kendra only nodded slowly, feeling confused about where Setsuna's comments were leading to. Setsuna suddenly leaned forward in her chair, nearly, just nearly, surprising Kendra out of her bored façade.

"You…are not…selfish. You are just like the way I was before." Kendra leaned back from Setsuna, stuttering over her words.

"W-what? How a-am I like y-you?" Setsuna leaned back into her chair, her grin widening.

"How long have you loved Zazie?" Setsuna asked gently. Kendra immediately blushed and began to play with the tears at the thigh of her jeans.

"I-I don' know…like…two years after Z-Zazie left…and stuff…" Kendra mumbled, her blush growing darker.

"Six years, you have dedicated your love to Zazie for six years. You weren't being selfish, you were determined, who wouldn't be determined at seeing the person they loved for six years? Also, I think it's obvious that you care about your father after what I saw and heard so far."

"Get to the point, swords girl…" Kendra grumbled.

"The point is, what you've done is not selfish. It would've been selfish if you left without even the slightest hesitation, but that wasn't the case. You obviously thought long and hard about this, which shows that you truly care. Also, I think you should talk this over with Zazie." Setsuna noticed the surprised expression on Kendra's face, she felt victorious in being able to enlighten the stressed out transfer student.

"But…I don' want to worry Zazie and…and-"

"This situation involves Zazie, so she deserves the right to know." Setsuna interrupted.

"Besides, Zazie loves you, I'm sure she would listen to your troubles and, in my opinion, who else better to help you through hard times than the person you love?" Setsuna asked as she crossed her arms. Kendra stared at Setsuna in amazement, _'damn…swords girl's figured me out like a puzzle!'_ She diverted her gaze towards the floor, hiding them behind the strands of her jet black hair.

"Well…I guess you're right, I should tell Zazie." _'Man…dis sucks! I'm supposed to be the calm one and here I am gettin' life and love advice from an insanely bashful bodyguard! That's it…I'm turnin' dis situation around!'_ Kendra suddenly sat up in her seat with a devilish grin, leaving Setsuna nervously shifting back into her seat as far as possible, _'sh-she can make that face too…'_ Setsuna thought.

"Enough 'bout me, let's learn some things 'bout you!" Kendra shouted smugly, she was ready for some revenge.

"W-what is there to learn?" Setsuna stuttered. Kendra pointed an accusing finger at Setsuna.

"Don' you play dumb, I ain't dat stupid! Dat nose bleed from earlier, you were thinkin' 'bout Konoe-San, weren't you?" A red blush spread across Setsuna's cheeks, leaving her speechless from the shock and embarrassment.

"Oh-ho! I was right, you were havin' nasty thoughts! Hell, you even thought 'bout dat stuff when you were tryin' to comfort me, who da hell does dat?" Kendra's grin grew into a full on, cocky smile, she was starting to have fun and enjoyed seeing Setsuna's blush getting darker with every comment that escaped Kendra's lips. Setsuna waved her hands up in front of her frantically.

"N-n-n-no! I wasn't th-thinking about that k-kinda stuff!" Kendra scoffed at Setsuna's defiance.

"Yeah, whateva, I don' buy dat just to let'cha know. But anyways…" Kendra's face suddenly turned stern, Setsuna noticed her sudden change in mood and slowly felt her blush disappear.

"There's somethin' I need to ask…a serious question." Kendra stated gravely, leaning forward while resting her arms along her thigh. Setsuna nodded as she leaned forward a little as well.

"How far…" Kendra started.

"…have you…" Setsuna leaned closer as her curiosity grew.

"…gone wit Konoe-San?" Setsuna fell out of her seat, face first to the floor. Setsuna propped herself up on her hands and knees and glared angrily at Kendra, which proven to be useless because of her blush which made Setsuna look cute rather than scary.

"Kendra-San, you don't suddenly ask people that!" Setsuna attempted to shout, but came out as a high-pitched whine.

"Awwww, swords girl's embarrassed! I see why Konoe-San shouts 'kawaii' when you blush! But, dependin' on how you had a nose bleed earlier and had those dirty thoughts, you probably went all da way wit her right?" Kendra asked calmly. Now Setsuna was crimson red, _'I wonder if it's healthy to be blushin' like dat all da time…'_ Kendra wondered as she watched Setsuna's blush grow redder and redder, nearly turning purple.

"I…I…I haven't, I mean I w-wouldn't-c-couldn't!" Setsuna stuttered. Kendra placed her hand over her mouth, trying to stifle back her laughter but failing miserably.

"Pffft! Pfffwahhahaha, oh my god, you kill me! Don' try to lie 'cause you suck at it! You did go all the way wit her! Hahahah, sword girl's tappin' dat, huh?" Kendra teased as she held her sides. She can't remember the last time she laughed this much with a classmate; especially when Zazie left and was enjoying the foreign feeling immensely. Setsuna grumbled under her breath as she glared at Kendra, _'what happened to the silent and calm girl I met yesterday? Well…at least she's opening up to someon-'_

"Yo! Earth to swords girl! Is anybody livin' up there?" Kendra said, poking Setsuna on the forehead and snapping her out of her thoughts. Setsuna swatted Kendra's hand away.

"Yes…I'm home, Kendra-San." Setsuna mumbled.

"Yeah, like I was sayin', you tappin' on Konoe-San right?" Kendra asked coolly.

"W-what about you, Kendra-San? How far have you g-gone with Zazie-San, huh?" Setsuna countered, trying to turn the tables on Kendra, but, much to Setsuna's surprise, Kendra still kept a calm smile.

"We have only been together for one day; this relationship is precious to me, so I'll take my time." A light blush stained Kendra's cheeks as she smiled lovingly at the thought of Zazie.

"When the day comes that Zazie and I want to take the next step, I'll make sure to treasure the memory forever…" Kendra stared at the floor with a distant look in her eyes, glimmering with pure joy; if people were to look at her, you wouldn't have been able to tell that she was going through a family crisis. Setsuna smirked at Kendra's words, feeling proud of her response, _'how much more can we possibly have in common?'_ Setsuna thought. Ever since Kendra passed Setsuna in the hallways yesterday, she had spotted numerous similarities between herself and Kendra. Her reserved nature to other people, her over protectiveness of Zazie, and the honest, deep, and pure love she felt for Zazie. For Setsuna, it was like looking in a mirror. A few minutes of silence passed until Setsuna realized something.

"Wait, just now…what you said didn't have any slang in it." Kendra smiled gently at Setsuna.

"Well, aren't you observant, yeah, I didn't. I can speak properly, I just choose not to most of the time 'cause it's a pain in da ass to. I'm more comfortable speakin' like dis." Kendra added emphasis on the last three words to prove her point.

"Also, I only speak like dat when I'm talkin' 'bout somethin' or someone really important or special to me."

"I see… that does make sense." Kendra stood up, straightened up her jacket and swept her hair back with one hand as she sighed and looked at the door. Then she swung her black 'KAZE' bag over her shoulder before speaking.

"Look…I'm 'bout to head back to my room…wanna come with?" Kendra asked as she looked down at Setsuna, who was still on her hands and knees.

"…you're still on your hands and knees swords girl…" Kendra said blandly.

"Eh?" Setsuna looked down, then at Kendra, and back down again.

"Oh yeah…" Kendra chuckled as she held her hand out to Setsuna and pulled her up to her feet.

"Thank you, and yes, I would like to hang out some more, but…" Setsuna trailed off, her gaze shifting to the wall. Kendra cocked her head in confusion.

"But what? If you don' want to hang some more, I get it. I'm sure you probably got better things to do."

"No, I do want to hang out with you some more, it's just that…I wanted to…go over and see Konoka." Kendra's expression was blank for a few moments before she suddenly went pale, which left Setsuna baffled at how Kendra's dark skin color actually had the ability to change shades like that.

"Zazie…" Kendra whispered.

"I still have to tell Zazie 'bout my dad…ugh, that's gonna be **so** much fun." Kendra said half sarcastically and half exasperatedly.

"Oh, that's right, I forgot about that as well. Well, I guess we should get to our girlfriends. Maybe we could talk tomorrow?" Setsuna asked. Kendra nodded and said

"Yeah, tomorrow's cool wit me." They both began to walk back to the girl dorms, but before they reached it, Kendra's bored expression was back. _'Seems it takes a lot for her to open up a little in public…wait, so why did she open up to me?'_ Setsuna pondered.

"Kendra-San"

"Hm?" Kendra responded, not even looking in Setsuna's direction.

"How come you've opened up to me so easily?" Kendra stood still for a few seconds before walking again, only at a slightly slower pace.

"I figured dat since you practically saw me have an emotional breakdown, dat there was no reason in hiding my emotions from you. There's no need actin' around you when you already know dat it **is** actin'" Kendra explained calmly.

"Oh…" Setsuna simply replied.

"And, I'm grateful to you for cheerin' me up. Sure…at first you just stared at me like an idiot and had a nose bleed…" Setsuna sweat dropped and laughed weakly.

"…but, after dat, your answers were so logical and simple, which I was lacking. I only looked at it from an emotional point of view, which made it difficult for me to reason with myself. It was amazin' how simple yet true the answers were. So, thank you…Setsuna-San." Setsuna's eyes widened in surprise, Kendra didn't call her swords girl.

"You're welcome, Kendra-San." They continued to chat idly about random topics; most of the time Kendra was just teasing Setsuna and making her blush. They reached Kendra's dorm room first.

"A'ight homegirl, holla." Kendra said as she began to close the door, but before the door clicked closed, she smiled mischievously and whispered

"Hope you have fun…tappin' Konoe-San…"

"Kendra-San!" Setsuna shouted; her face as red as an apple.

"I'm playin', playin'." Kendra giggled as she closed her door. Setsuna began to pace down the halls for Konoka's dorm. As she walked a smirk crept across her face, _'she's a surprisingly nice person…'_ Setsuna thought amusingly. As Kendra entered her dorm room, she was once again welcomed by her plain and dull room. _'I seriously need to start decoratin' the walls or somethin' '_ Kendra sighed. She sat down on her bed with the 'KAZE' bag by her side and eyeballed one of her still unpacked boxes; 'Music' was written on it in marker. _'Ah man…I still got my radio and CDs in there.'_ Kendra kneeled down next to the box and undid the duct tape; she opened it and rummaged through the mess of wires, CDs, chargers, and radio speakers. Kendra saw a familiar CD case and pulled it out.

"Aha! This one's my favorite!" Kendra said as she examined the plastic case. It didn't have a cover and was clear on the front, but on the back, paper was placed inside the case. On the paper, was a written list of songs followed by the artist. At the top, there was a title which read, 'sexiest songs'. _'Dis is the CD I burned all my favorite love songs on, this could really help when the time is right for me and Zazie…'_ Kendra thought for a few seconds, scanning the list of songs, until a big grin graced her features. _'I know who else can use dis too…heheheh…'_ Kendra chuckled wickedly; she could feel one of her naughty habits surfacing. _'I'll just give it to her tomorrow.'_ Kendra placed the CD case on her bedside table and stared at her clock to realize that it was already almost two in the afternoon, _'damn…I've been out dat long?'_ Kendra placed her hands on her hips and sighed.

"Guess I oughtta just talk to Zazie and get it over wit huh…" Kendra headed for the door with her mysterious 'KAZE' bag still in tow…

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, Zazie was in her dorm by herself; her roommate was out for the time being and wouldn't be back for a few hours. Zazie was sitting on her bed and leaning against the headboard, thinking about Kendra's unusual behavior from last night. <em>'She looked distraught about something…and she didn't try to hide it from me either. Maybe she was asking for help? No, if that was the case, then she would've told me already. I hope she's not trying to handle some burden all by herself-'<em> Zazie's pondering came to a stop as she heard a knock on her door. Zazie walked up to the door, turned the knob and slowly swung it open; once she saw who was there though, her cheeks began to burn and her heart beat quickened. There stood Kendra, still dressed in her white shirt, black jacket, and ripped jeans. A left out detail about Kendra's clothing was that her shirt and jeans flaunted off her shapes and curves perfectly; Zazie, undoubtedly took immediate notice of this.

"Kendra…hey. You look so-mmphf!" Zazie attempted to complement Kendra's appearance but was interrupted by a pair of lips crushing against hers. The force behind Kendra's sudden kiss sent them both a few steps back into Zazie's room and leaned against the nearest wall; leaving Zazie pinned between, in her opinion, heaven and a hard place, but she didn't mind in the slightest. This by far was the most passionate and longest kiss Zazie ever received from Kendra, but it puzzled her why Kendra was so aggressive. One thing Zazie did know for sure was that Kendra's facial expression appeared to be hurt and pleading in the image that her half lidded eyes could see. _'She is hurting about something'_ Zazie thought. Around seven minutes passed by until Kendra pulled her quivering lips away from Zazie's. Kendra quickly rested her head on Zazie's shoulder and hugged her tightly, trying to hide her watery eyes and breathing harshly. Zazie, who was breathing just as harshly if not more than Kendra, placed her right hand on Kendra's back and rubbed her soothingly while her other arm was wrapped around the hurting girl's waist.

"It's okay, it's okay, shhh…I'm here for you…" Zazie whispered lovingly into Kendra's ear as she felt her begin to tremble. On the inside, Zazie was torn; she hated and enjoyed this. She hated to see Kendra so broken but she loved how she could finally comfort her for once instead of the other way around and how she could see this side of Kendra that she usually kept wrapped up inside. Zazie peered over to see that her door was still open, luckily for them though, no one seemed to walk by and see them.

"We need to talk…Zazie…" Kendra whispered weakly, her trembling body finally starting to calm down. Zazie smiled and took a step back to see Kendra's tears still steadily streaming down her cheeks; still not breaking from Kendra's embracing arms.

"I know…and I've been waiting…" Zazie quietly closed the door, walked back over to Kendra and held both of her hands in her own. She slowly tugged Kendra to her bed and pulled her down to lay down by her side. They both laid on their sides; staring into each other's eyes.

"Now…tell me what's wrong." Zazie whispered as she gently stroked the hair of her heavily burdened girlfriend.

* * *

><p>All righty, that's all for right now! Please leave a review because that would make me feel like I was on top of the world! :)<p> 


	12. Chapter 12

Disclaimer: I do not own Negima or any of its characters. Without further stalling, here is chapter 12 and enjoy!- X)

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 12<strong>

Kendra snuggled closer to Zazie, snaked her arms around Zazie's waist and buried her face in her awaiting shoulder.

"Come on Kendra…you know you can trust me. Just tell me what happened last night…I'm here to listen and comfort, you're here to share that pain with me." Zazie said. Kendra squeezed Zazie tighter, _'to think I was just fine a few minutes ago…I really do need Zazie's help'_ Kendra thought.

"It's my dad…" Kendra started.

"I got a phone call last night…he had a major seizure and right now…he's in a coma and I-I don'…" Zazie realized Kendra's body tensed up as she paused in the middle of her sentence. Now Zazie was really worried and wouldn't stop at anything to help Kendra through her problems.

"Kendra…please…" Zazie pleaded quietly. Kendra exhaled slowly, even with a little bit of difficulty, and forced her body to loosen up.

"…I don't know…when he'll wake up. The doctors said dat it could be days, weeks, months…or even years before he wakes up, and even worse….there's a higher chance dat he'll d-die…" Kendra choked back a sob from nearly escaping her voice. Zazie began to slowly massage Kendra's back with her hand to help make her comfortable enough to continue, _'my god, Kendra…to think you're going through something like this…'_ Zazie thought depressingly.

"A-and…I had this dream last night" Kendra stuttered.

"I was in the middle of darkness; there was nothin' there, nothin' at all. I started running to find a way out but there wasn't. Then I turned around and saw my dad…h-he was in a hospital bed wit a monitor and everythin'." Silent tears began to roll down Kendra's cheeks once again.

"He looked terrible Zazie…like he could've died right there and then, wearin' a raggedy and torn hospital gown, his pupils were rolled into the back of his head, and he didn't move or flinch a lil bit!" Kendra hugged Zazie as tightly as possible, feeling that if she didn't, she would lose her and be left alone to face the horrid reality by herself. Kendra sniffled before she continued explaining what happened.

"I started blamin' myself for the way he was and that I was sorry over and over again. But then suddenly he started h-having a seizure right in front of me, I panicked and didn't know what to do! Then the monitor went flat line!" Kendra shouted into Zazie's shoulder, slightly muffling what she was saying, but Zazie still understood how her lover was feeling…and it was killing her. _'…Kendra, please…don't ever, ever keep something like this to yourself again. Seeing you like this is just saddening…'_ Zazie thought. She slowly stroked Kendra's hair, both to comfort Kendra and to bask in the softness of her silky black strands.

"…thanks…" Kendra muttered.

"And then I started to runaway but his dead body came back to life and grabbed onto me. He kept sayin' over and over dat I was to blame and dat I killed him. He said that I should be punished and suffer just like he did…that's when these…these…I don' know how to say it. Like…some gateway opened up from the floor and a swarm of long, flimsy…b-bloody hands came out." Kendra could feel a small hint of nausea making itself known in the pit of her stomach, but she fought it down with a deep breath.

"They pulled me down into the gateway where it was even darker…my dad was laughin' like a maniac or somethin'. Finally, I shouted that I was sorry one more time and then the doors closed completely…and then I woke up…" Kendra's grip on Zazie loosened and she scooted back to gaze upward slowly, only to have the feeling of intense relief and reassurance wash over her. Zazie's eyes were closed, as she was patiently listening to Kendra's nightmare until the very end. After a few moments, Zazie realized the slight loss of warmth and gently opened her eyes to see Kendra looking up into her own eyes, _'…god those hazel eyes…'_ Zazie thought. She caressed Kendra's cheek and inched closer towards her face; her steady breath tickling Kendra's skin.

"…go on…" Zazie whispered. Kendra eyeballed Zazie's lips, almost as if in a trance and felt shivers go up her spine, _'is she tryin' to comfort me or…'_ Kendra quickly closed her eyes shut, _'no, no, I have to keep myself together…'_ Kendra thought irritably. She reopened her eyes and could still feel Zazie softly stroking her cheek.

"And I…don' know what to do. Don' misunderstan' when I say dis…a'ight?" Kendra asked nervously.

"Of course" Zazie responded immediately.

"I've been thinkin' dat maybe…it was my fault dat my dad is like dis. My mom needed me for help takin' care of dad…but I left to find you instead. Now…I'm wonderin' if comin' here was a mistake and I've been thinkin' dat maybe I should go back…" Kendra carefully looked back up at Zazie, her face cringing in fear from Zazie's reaction of her last spoken sentence. Zazie, without hesitation, held Kendra's chin within her hand and stared her straight in the eyes, which was unusually aggressive for the shy half-demon. Kendra's eyes widened as a pink blush flared across her cheeks.

"Tell me…" Zazie started, her eyes burrowing into Kendra's hazel orbs, almost as if looking into the dark skin girl's soul.

"…what your feelings tell you…and do NOT let your guilt guide you because you are not to blame for any of this. You are a sweet, kind and remarkably beautiful girl with a strong heart…so don't you dare tell me that your father's illness was because of you; I can tell how much you care about this…and I'm sure your dad knows how much you care as well." Zazie said before she finished off her lecture with a quick peck on Kendra's lips. Kendra was astonished, for Zazie to be so talkative and aggressive all of a sudden and to make so much since with such modesty…it seemed to Kendra that there was still more for her to learn about Zazie. On the inside though, Zazie was a complete flustered mess, but not nearly as bad as Setsuna would be around Konoka; it takes an experienced pro to handle that much blood rushing to their head. She didn't plan to do that, her body and mouth just moved on its own accord but there was no turning back now, she had to follow through with her actions.

"…m-my heart.." Kendra stuttered, her blush deepening for more reasons than one. _'First Setsuna…and now Zazie. Why does the answer come to them?'_

"says that I…" _'it's like…my heart is an unsolvable puzzle, confusin' and inaccurate almost always, all the time…it's not fair!'_

"…I couldn't stand the idea of losin' you again, Zazie." Kendra whispered vulnerably as she rested her forehead against Zazie's, _'I'm not gonna let guilt, fear, or worry ruin the most cherished thing to happen to me…Zazie'_ Kendra thought. Zazie smiled broadly at Kendra, in all truth, she felt nervous about Kendra's response; she was pretty sure Kendra would stay…but not certain. Kendra matched Zazie's grin with a toothy smile of her own and added confidently

"I mean, come on, who wouldn't miss dis face?" Zazie and Kendra laughed a little bit, _'dat's right heart…you don' always control me!'_ just as Kendra thought that, she felt an unusual urge in her chest. It was a faint burning sensation within the left region of her chest, the exact spot where her heart was, her heart beat pounding faster and faster. This feeling however, wasn't as painful as Kendra's past chest pains, so she just ignored the weird feeling and kept her attention on Zazie's deep brown eyes. Just as quickly as the feeling appeared, it vanished. _'Dat was different…maybe it was a new magical presence or somethin'?'_ Kendra pondered as she mentally shrugged off her uncommon heart reaction. Kendra slowly removed her head from Zazie and sat up in the bed. The half-demon sat up as well and rested her head on Kendra's shoulder.

"So…it's Saturday, want to go out today or stay in and laze around?"

"To tell you da truth…I'm feelin' pretty tired from all dis emotion stuff. Let's chill for a bit and then I'll take you out somewhere." Kendra responded groggily.

"Yeah, you have been going through a lot, haven't you?" Kendra rested her head on top of Zazie's and then planted a kiss on her head.

"Ain't dat the truth…" They sat in silence, still leaning comfortably onto each other and hands now intertwined together. Kendra and Zazie sighed contently, almost as if simultaneously and then looked to each other sharing similar smirks; they knew they were thinking the same thing.

_'Finally…'_ Kendra thought.

_'…our perfect silence.'_ Zazie finished in her thoughts as she snuggled her head closer into the crook of Kendra's neck…

* * *

><p>Somewhere else within the hallways of Mahora, a pinkish-red head student was walking by herself. To the normal eye, people would say that she was walking by herself…but that wasn't the case. Class 3A's journalist and paparazzi, Kazumi Asakura, was chatting idly with a mysterious presence floating along with her.<p>

"So that's how it is, Sayo. I can't get anything out of that transfer student; I'll have to start talking drastic measures!" Kazumi said fiercely as she clenched her fist and her eyes burned with passion, her easily recognized zealous smile making its self known upon her face. A bodiless soul with long white hair and grey eyes smiled and then shook her head at Kazumi; and bodiless couldn't be more accurate. Sayo was a ghost of Mahora Academy who died decades before while still attending this school and never passed on because of unfinished business. She wore the same school uniform as she did back then and never once left the campus for an unfortunate reason; her memory has failed her in answering the most important question. What was her unfinished business? This she did not know and could not pass on peacefully; spending everyday sitting in the empty seat next to Kazumi in homeroom, her presence was never noticed until Negi performed a spell for making herself visible in front of people who already had the knowledge and knew the existence of magic. Now Sayo, Mahora's own ghost and Kazumi's best friend, couldn't be any happier with how drastically her life…her after life has changed and it was all thanks to Negi.

"Don't worry Kazumi-San you'll get the information you'll need soon." Sayo reassured sweetly.

"You can bet Kami that I will! It's time to take the initiative, it's a dangerous mission but, if it works…I know I'll get something juicy like a secret out of her!" Kazumi announced loudly as the flames in her eyes burned brighter. Passing students stared at Kazumi awkwardly as they walked by, giving disturbed glances at the girl shouting to herself. Sayo noticed this and immediately sweat dropped.

"U-um…Kazumi-San? Maybe you should keep it down? People are starting to stare." Sayo pleaded gently but her suggestion was quickly countered by the stubborn journalist.

"Who cares? The life of a journalist has taught me that public dignity comes second to getting a big scoop! Besides, you don't have to worry since you're dead…oh…" Kazumi quickly placed her hands over her mouth, deeply regretting what she just said.

"S-Sayo, I didn't' mean that…" Kazumi said cautiously _'damn! I have got to watch what I say...'_ Sayo looked away and rubbed her hand on her arm, talking about the obvious fact that she was dead was still an uncomfortable topic for her, no matter how many decades it's been.

"…just forget it…Kazumi-San, it's not a big deal…" Sayo mumbled, her tone of voice failing her words. _'Sayo…'_ Kazumi thought guiltily. She reached for Sayo and laid her hand on her arm, only to have it go through her completely. Sayo looked back at Kazumi and smiled sadly at her, _'I can talk to others, I can see others, but I can't touch others…'_ Sayo thought. As Kazumi's hand passed all the way through her she stared at her hand; also hating the fact that she couldn't feel anything. She clenched her hand into a fist and her lips formed into a thin line of frustration. She looked away from Sayo and continued pacing down the halls.

"Come on Sayo. Let's…go hunt for a story." She waved her hand motioning for Sayo to follow along without looking back at her ghostly friend. It's not like she didn't want to look at Sayo, but Kazumi didn't want her to see her face right now. It was mixed with guilt, confusion…and desire. She held up her palm in front of her and slowly flexed her hand opened and closed, _'I wonder…if I could just touch her one time…just to know what it feels like…'_ Kazumi shoved her hand into her skirt uniform pocket and sighed silently to herself. _'It's only a what-if. That'll never come true. Sayo…if only you weren't dead, if only…'_ Her eyebrows furrowed. Kazumi shook her head swiftly, trying to abandon those thoughts. Daydreaming about such a fantasy wouldn't make things any better at the moment. Eventually, the two friends arrived at Kendra's room door. Kazumi forced a smile on her face, raised her knuckles and knocked four times. There was no response. She knocked again; only much louder this time. There was still not response. Kazumi sighed in annoyance; nothing has been going her way lately. She turned back at Sayo and said

"She's not here. But I'm not giving up that easily, in fact, my resources(in other words, Haruna) have told me that Kendra has been seen hanging around Zazie-San!" Sayo raised her eyebrows at this.

"Zazie-San? You mean our Zazie-San? Like Zazie Rainyday Zazie…that Zazie-San?" Sayo questioned skeptically. Kazumi nodded her head eagerly, feeling the flames of determination beginning to rekindle in her eyes.

"Mhm! So our best bet would be Zazie-San's dorm!" Kazumi shouted triumphantly. She turned her attention to Sayo and asked

"You have the spy equipment, right?" Sayo smiled as she held out her hands in front of her; the air between her hands condensed and then formed into a small, fluffy, brown teddy bear.

"Yep, got it right here."

"Awesome! Now, onward my trusty sidekick!" Kazumi pumped her fist into the air and began to march down the halls for Zazie's dorm room…

* * *

><p>Back in the said girl's room, Zazie and Kendra decided to watch a movie together and were currently cuddling on the couch. When Zazie brought up the idea, Kendra happily complied, that is, until she mentioned it was a romantic film. Kendra wasn't a huge fan of the romance genre, but Zazie on the other hand was a hopeless romantic. Kendra, who could never turn down a pleading Zazie, decided to watch the movie anyways. In all truth, it wasn't as bad as Kendra would thought it would be, she barely even focused on the movie. She spent her time admiring Zazie's face every few minutes, which didn't go unnoticed by the tan demon. Kendra's gaze would make her blush no matter how many times she's done it already; that was another bonus for Kendra. She enjoyed seeing a flustered Zazie. Suddenly, Kendra noticed that Zazie's blush turned a darker shade of red with her eyes wide open and glued to the television screen. Kendra looked at the screen and immediately felt a grin slowly form on her face. An intimate scene was occurring during the movie…and it wasn't a simple kiss scene. Now Kendra had two options; one, she could laugh at Zazie's innocence or two, she could take advantage of the moment. <em>'Is dat a trick question?'<em> Kendra thought smugly. Unlike most ignorant people who use the 'yawn and stretch arm over shoulder' trick, Kendra used a more direct approach. She leaned over towards Zazie, grabbed the back of the half-demon's head and turned her face to look at her. Kendra then whispered confidently

"Those two seem to be havin' a good time, don'cha think?" Kendra flicked her eyes over at the screen in which informed Zazie to do the same. They happened to see the part where the two lover's actions were becoming more passionate and then the scene suddenly blacked out; couldn't show **too **much in the movie for the viewers. They both averted their attention back to each other; their faces showing completely different expressions. Kendra was staring at Zazie deeply, her eyes reflecting a sign of longing and focus. Zazie had a crimson blush spread across her cheeks with her eyes glazed over.

"Makes me jealous, wish I could have a good time like dat. I can't do it by myself though…think you can help me…Zazie~?" Kendra said the demon's name in a flirtatious sing song tone that sent a jolt of electricity to travel through Zazie's body. With the amount of tension Zazie had in her from that question, she could only manage to nod once quickly. Kendra smile broadly and rubbed Zazie's arm with her other hand.

"Man, you're so tense. Calm down babe, I won' do nothin' but kiss you, dat's all." Kendra reassured her nervous girlfriend. But instead of calming down like Kendra asked her to; she only tensed up more when she heard Kendra call her 'babe'. _'D-did she call me…b-babe? Oh dear Kami, I don't know why but please let her call me babe again…'_ Zazie thought. She looked down at her lap and mumbled

"…do that again…"

"Do what?" Kendra asked playfully. She knew what Zazie meant, but she wanted to hear the shy girl say it.

"C-call me…babe again, please?" Zazie asked shyly. Kendra chuckled and then moved her face closer to Zazie's but halted a few centimeters away from claiming her prize.

"You don' even have to ask…babe…" Kendra's hot breath lightly brushed across Zazie's lips; tempting her with an open invite. With Kendra's hand still gently wrapped around the back of Zazie's head she decided to give her a little push. She pulled her head closer to her face. Zazie, who was still in a daze from being called babe again, allowed herself to be guided by Kendra's hand. She always felt weak in Kendra's embrace, like all of her strength would just leave her body without a trace. Their mouths now were only a hair's length away as their breaths began to mingle and the thudding of Zazie's racing heart sent vibrations into the amorous air around them. Zazie closed her eyes and-

KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK!

Kendra and Zazie jumped apart and immediately began to rush around the room. Kendra turned off the DVD player and then turned to another channel. Zazie fixed up her bed sheets and then placed her frazzled strands of hair back in place. She turned around to see that Kendra was already relaxing on the couch, lazily flipping through the channels with her legs casually crossed. Lastly, Kendra had on her usual bored mask although she was fuming on the inside, _'dammit! I was so close! Oh well…guess we'll get back to it later…'_ Kendra thought angrily. Zazie was somewhat disappointed by the turn of events as well. She walked up to the door and then opened it to see Kazumi and Sayo. The next thing Zazie noticed was that Kazumi was holding a teddy bear in her arms with a tag on it that read 'Kendra'. Zazie felt her left eye twitch. Of all people to show up at her door with Kendra in her room, it just had to be the class paparazzi Kazumi. The said girl didn't seem to notice Zazie's twitch, unlike Sayo who stared at Zazie quizzically, and just smiled brightly while holding out the stuffed animal.

"We wanted to give a welcoming gift to our new classmate here! We checked Kendra-San's room but she wasn't there, but…" Kazumi stepped into the room and eyeballed the back of Kendra's head. A lecherous grin graced her features.

"I heard that she's been hanging around good ole Zazie-San here and decided to see for ourselves. Who would've thought that it was true?" Kazumi shouted smugly as she wrapped her arm around Zazie's shoulders and pulled her into a light half-hug. Now Zazie paled, _'th-there's rumors about us already?'_ Kazumi, who noticed Zazie's off behavior, glared wickedly at her and then at Kendra who was still lazily flipping through the channels. Kendra felt the anonymous glare penetrate to the back of her head so she finally turned around to acknowledge her presence.

"Yo, you got an eye problem?" Kendra asked irritably; her cold gaze easily outweighing Kazumi's glare. Kazumi slightly shrunk back at first but stood her ground, _'I'm a journalist! Nothing can stop me from getting a story!'_ Kazumi thought. Suddenly, Kendra's glare disappeared, receding back to her bored expression with a large hint of confusion in her eyes. Kazumi realized that Kendra's confused stare was in her direction and began to wipe her face.

"What? Is there something on my face?" Kazumi asked, but Kendra's stare wasn't for her, it was for the ghost floating right beside her. Kendra cautiously walked up to the puzzled journalist and then stopped in front of Sayo.

"Zazie" Kendra whispered. Zazie slowly nodded at Kendra, giving the shocked girl her full attention.

"Call me crazy but…" Kendra waved her hand through Sayo's body and then snatched her hand back to her side like she just touched a hot stove.

"I see dead people…" that statement stabbed Sayo straight through the heart and winced a little bit. Kazumi grinned wildly and then immediately whipped out her journal, jotting down what is known to be her next big hit. _'Transfer student can see the dead! This story will be gre-'_ that's when Kazumi dropped her pencil and notepad all together with her mouth hanging open.

"W-wait, you can see Sayo? But that means…you know about magic, don't you?" Kazumi stuttered as she pointed an accusing finger at Kendra.

"Maybe I do…so what?" Kendra stated nonchalantly. Kazumi's eyes began to sparkle as she started to feel the ideas of her next article flooding from her brain. Sayo could tell that it was going to be a long day of work back at Kazumi's dorm. Kendra, who ignored Kazumi's little…moment, turned her attention back to Sayo.

"So…your name's Sayo?" the ghost girl was a little taken aback by the casualness from the girl who was frightened of her only a mere few seconds ago but replied politely

'Yes, my name is Aisaka Sayo. If I remember correctly, your name is Guinyard Kendra?"

"Yep, but call me Kendra. Guinyard-San is way too formal and sounds disgustingly polite to me." Kendra felt like she wanted to gag just from saying Guinyard-San, _'makes me feel like I'm thirty or somethin''_ Kendra thought.

"Listen, I do have a question for ya." Kendra said, snapping out of her thoughts of bashing on formalities.

"Y-yes?" Sayo stuttered, praying in her mind that it wasn't some stereotypical question about ghosts.

"Do you have some kind of magical source in ya?" This question caught her by surprise. Plus, that iron mask Kendra had for a bored expression didn't help the ghost girl's nerves.

"W-well I-"

"Yep!" Kazumi interrupted; barging into the conversation since she finally came out of her crazed journalist phase.

"Sayo here used to be invisible to everyone but Negi-Sensei used a spell to make her be seen by people that already know about magic and stuff!" Kendra noticed something right away from what Kazumi just said, _'Kazumi-San didn't use any honorifics. She just called her Sayo, not Sayo-San. Must be pretty close…'_ Kendra was keen at picking up these kinds of things, she's only transferred to Mahora two days ago and she's already spotted two other pairs of girls who had feelings for each other. _'Damn…maybe I'll find another pair tomorrow? Hell, I bet I can find another pair later on today.'_ Kendra thought amusingly.

"So…why were you guys here again?" Kendra asked. Kazumi handed Kendra the stuffed teddy bear and then said

"This is a welcoming gift from us! We didn't really know what you liked so we just got you this…is it okay?" Kazumi asked. Kendra held up the teddy bear in front of her and looked it over. Then she started to check every part of it, behind the ears, the feet, the back, under the arms, everywhere. This caused Sayo and Kazumi to sweat drop.

"H-hey, what're you doing there?" Kazumi asked nervously.

"I'm not stupid you know. You're the paparazzi, so I'm checkin' dis thing for a camera…" Kendra said casually, double checking every possible hiding spot. Kazumi gulped, _'damn…this girl is smart.'_ The only place Kendra hasn't checked was the eyes, which she was checking right now. Kazumi and Sayo watched Kendra intensely, praying to Kami that she wouldn't find the recording device. Kendra stared at the teddy bear's eyes suspiciously. They had a red ring around the shining pupils, which wasn't sitting right with her.

"There's somethin' 'bout…" Kendra started. Kazumi looked around the room while whistling a random tune; Sayo stood…well, floated frozen where she was, her breath caught in her throat.

"…these eyes. They have dis red ring 'round da pupils."

"What? Red rings? Well, isn't that unusual hahah…(?)" Kazumi laughed nervously. Kendra's cold glare came back.

"Yeah…unusual a'ight…How did ya get the eyes to look dis cool?" Kendra asked, surprise heard in her voice. Kazumi fell face first to the floor, _'whaaaaat?'_ Sayo decided to speak for the momentarily shell shocked journalist.

"I-It just came like that when we bought it."

"Oh…a'ight then. Well…if dat's all y'all wanted then-"

"Y-yes! That's all we wanted, isn't that right Sayo!" Kazumi shouted, finally regaining her composure…well at least some of it anyways. Sayo could only manage a nod before realizing Kazumi was already making a mad dash for the door.

"Wait up Kazumi-San!" Sayo whined as she chased after the spirited news writer. Kazumi slammed the door and panted heavily while leaning against it. Sayo showed up seconds later, phasing through the walls.

"Great job, Kazumi-San! It looks like she fell for-"

"No…she didn't Sayo…" Kazumi interrupted, her face shadowed from the light. Sayo looked at Kazumi confusingly.

"But, she didn't find the camera just like you planned."

"No Sayo, she did. Just like she said, she's not that stupid. I bet she's gonna throw it away as soon as she gets the chance…" A long moment of defeated silence passed until a grin crept across Kazumi's face.

"But the war is far from over my trusty side-kick!" Kazumi shouted as she felt her fighting spirit return to her and fist pumped into the air again. Sayo smiled genuinely at her hyperactive friend, _'that's my Kazumi for you…'_ The ghost's eyebrows furrowed, _'did I just say…**my** Kazumi?'_ Sayo thought incredulously. She shook off the suspicious thoughts and followed after the said girl who was now running back to her dorm to plan for their next form of attack.

* * *

><p>Zazie stared at Kendra disbelievingly.<p>

"K-Kendra…are you sure you can trust them about that teddy bear?" Kendra answered Zazie's question by giving her a quick peck on the lips and then smiling evilly.

"…of course not. I told ya I ain't stupid. But…since they want a story so bad, I'm gonna give em one." Kendra's evil smirk widened, which sent a small chill down Zazie's spine. The smile didn't scare her; in fact, she kind of liked this bad girl act that Kendra was giving off. Zazie's cheeks began to burn red when her imagination decided to flash images of a bad ass Kendra, _'my Kami what is wrong with me?'_ Zazie thought frantically.

"S-s-so what did you h-have in mind?" Zazie stammered. Kendra moved her face closer to Zazie's and then whispered

"That's a surprise, babe." Kendra's smile grew even more when she saw Zazie's entire face light up crimson red.

"Let's head back to my dorm, your roommate will prob'ly be back soon." Kendra said as she walked back to Zazie's bed and got her 'KAZE' bag from under the covers.

"Plus, I wanna hurry up and give you dis." Zazie only managed to nod, which earned a chuckle from Kendra.

"Come on Zazie…" Kendra playfully rolled her eyes at the blushing half-demon and then dragged her gently by the wrist for the door; her 'KAZE' bag and new 'gift' in the other hand. As they were walking down the halls side-by-side, Kendra glanced over at Zazie.

"Hey Zazie, when do you plan on lettin' others know dat we are together?" Kendra asked unconcernedly. Zazie was going to say that anytime was fine, but she hesitated after feeling the pit of her stomach twist with fear once again.

"J-just um…whenever someone f-finds out I guess…" Zazie managed to force out of herself. Kendra smirked to herself; that was all she needed to know. Of course she knew that Zazie was still scared about this, but she knows Zazie will come around soon.

"But why do you ask, Kendra?"

"No reason." Kendra responded quickly.

* * *

><p>Okay, that's all for now. Hmmm, I wonder what Kendra's up to...oh well. I guess we'll see next chapter. So until then, please leave a review!- :)<p> 


	13. Chapter 13

Chello everybody, I am back again with the next chapter! I was happy about the reviews I recieved so I'm not going to disappoint!

Disclaimer: I do not own Negima or any of it's characters. Also, I do not own "Bed", all ownership rights belong to the rightful artist, J Holiday.

Now please enjoy the chapter!- :)

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 13<strong>

After a few minutes of a smirking Kendra and puzzled Zazie walking down the halls; they finally arrived at Kendra's dorm. The transfer student entered her room and closed the door right behind Zazie. The first thing Zazie noticed was the open box of radio speakers, wires, and CDs sitting in the middle of the floor. The curious half-demon kneeled down next to the box and began to look through it.

"What's this stuff, Kendra?" Zazie asked.

"Just some CDs I like to listen to every now and again." Kendra said as she took off her jacket and cautiously walked over to her bed. Zazie pulled out various official albums, _'so Kendra likes practically any type of music. I've learned something new today.'_ Zazie thought happily as she read some of the artist names. They ranged from Beyoncé, to Taylor Swift, and even Evanescence. Kendra watched Zazie from behind as she secretly covered the teddy bear with her jacket and bed sheets; making it seem as discrete as possible with the red ringed eyes angled in Zazie's direction. Then, she placed the 'KAZE' bag on the nearest dresser. Zazie pulled out another album and then turned around to show it to Kendra; the said girl was already innocently leaning against the wall and smiling at the shy demon.

"I didn't know you liked Tanaka Rie." Kendra shrugged and then kneeled down next to Zazie.

"Yeah, I like Japanese music too…although my dad said it just sounds like toys to him. Whateva dat means." Kendra said sheepishly as she rubbed the back of her neck. That earned a giggle out of Zazie. Kendra smiled pleasantly at Zazie; hearing the tan demon's laugh was by far a better melody than any song could ever hope to produce. Kendra's gaze lingered on Zazie until they swiftly shifted to the burned CD case that was still on her bedside table. She rose from the floor and casually trotted over to the table; she picked up her 'sexiest songs' CD and then showed it to Zazie.

"This CD is my favorite out of all of them. Wanna help me hook up my stereo and listen to it? It only takes like five minutes to do it." Kendra suggested as a look of mischief briefly gleamed in her hazel eyes. Zazie stood up and then made a cute attempt at a fist pump.

"H-hai!" She squeaked. _'Okay, dat was freakin' adorable!'_ Kendra thought as she literally died on the inside from Zazie's lovable antics. Just as Kendra said, it only took a matter of five minutes for them to hook up Kendra's stereo; granted that there were few cables and most of the equipment and stereos were small in size. Kendra rubbed her hands together after looking over the plugs and speakers to see if everything was in place. Zazie sat down on the floor as she watched Kendra remove the CD from its case.

"Okay, cool…and now dis." Kendra held up her 'sexiest songs' CD and then inserted it into the disc slot. She held down the seek button until it reached track six. The beat to the song started off into a slow and obviously….sexy rhythm as Kendra turned around and grabbed hold of Zazie's hand. She pulled up the confused demon and then placed both of her hands on Zazie's hips. At this point, steam could practically be seen rising off of Zazie's extremely flustered face. Dancing definitely wasn't up her comfort alley; on the other hand, talking wasn't either. Kendra pulled the blushing demon's body closer to hers and then whispered into Zazie's ear.

"This is Bed by J Holiday, one of the best on the entire track. In my opinion anyways." Zazie only nodded, her attention entirely focused on their hips as they swayed in synch.

'_Oo-oh, oo-oh_

_(Ay-ay-ay, Ay, Ay-ay-ay, Ay, Ay-ay-ay, Ay)_

_Put you to bed, bed, bed_

_Put you to bed, bed, bed'_

It was odd, Zazie felt uncomfortable doing this, but she didn't resist. As soon as Kendra touched her hips; all of her hesitance just vanished. _'This is exactly what I meant. She makes me do these things that I would've never imagined myself doing. But she makes it feel so right, that I can take on any challenge or risk as long as she's by my side.'_

'_Girl, change into that Victoria Secret thing that I like_

_Alright_

_OK_

_Tonight you're having me your way '_

'_Perfume_

_Spray it there_

_Put our love in the air_

_Now put me right next to you_

_Finna raise temp' in the room'_

'_First rub my back like you do_

_Right there (uh huh) right there (uh)_

_You touch me like you care'_

Just as those lines were sung, Kendra reached one hand to Zazie's back and gently massaged it; her other hand rested firmly against the tan girl's lower back. Zazie smiled, feeling her shyness no longer nagging at her in the back of her mind for once. She wrapped both of her arms around Kendra's neck and rested her head against the taller girl; basking in the heavenly sensation of reassurance and love emitting from Kendra.

'_Now stop_

_And let me repay you for the week that you've been through_

_Workin' that nine to five and stayin' cute like you do_

_Oh, oh, oh'_

'_I love it (I love it)_

_You love it (you love it)_

_Everytime (everytime)_

_We touchin' (we touchin')'_

Zazie wasn't the only girl feeling immensely happy. It was taking every fiber in Kendra's body not to tightly hug Zazie and kiss her right then and there. She could feel her heart beat quicken and burn with what she assumed to be incomprehensible bliss. As time passed, her heart burned more and more with passion; her heart rate beating even more rapidly.

'_I want it (I want it)_

_You want it (you want it)_

_I'll see you (see you)_

_In the mornin' (in the mornin')'_

'_Wanna put my fingers through your hair_

_Wrap me up in your legs_

_And love you till your eyes roll back_

_I'm tryna put you to bed, bed, bed_

_I'ma put you to bed, bed, bed'_

'_Then I'ma rock ya body_

_Turn you over_

_Love is war, I'm your soldier_

_Touchin' you like it's our first time_

_I'ma put you to bed, bed, bed_

_I'ma put you to bed, bed, bed'_

Kendra's heart beat was still rising in speed and continued to heat up; to the point of where it was becoming uncomfortable for the dark skin girl. But she ignored it; assuming that it was a new magical source nearby again. _'Dat would make sense. There's already Asuna-San, Setsuna-San, and Sayo-San; so a weird magic energy wouldn't be all dat surprisin' '_ Kendra thought logically…although her heart wasn't agreeing with her.

'_I'm starin' at you while you're sleep_

_Irreplaceable beauty_

_Put my face up in your neck and breathe (Ooh, breathe)_

_Take you into my senses_

_Wake up it's time to finish_

_Round two, round two_

_Matter of fact, it's closer to three'_

'_She like, "How long I been sleep?"_

'_Shawty kisses turn into the sweetest dreams_

_Like give it to me_

_And I can feel her tell me_

_"My angel, this is wonderful"_

_Thanks for letting me bless ya_

_Come down, fly right_

_Drift back into heaven_

_Oh, oh, oh, oh'_

Zazie began to notice that Kendra stumbled for a few moments but got her footing back. She looked up Kendra's face worriedly but only saw the same, confident smile Kendra usually had on around her. She relaxed her head back onto the girl's body. But when she made contact with the Kendra's body again with her senses back to normal, she realized two unusual things. First of all, Kendra was hot to the touch, really hot and two, she could actually feel her rapid heartbeats pounding against her ribcage. Zazie soon became nervous, _'is that n-normal?'_

'_I love it (I love it)_

_You love it (you love it)_

_Everytime (everytime)_

_We touchin' (we touchin')'_

'_I want it (I want it)_

_You want it (you want it)_

_I'll see you (see you)_

_In the mornin' (in the mornin')'_

'_Wanna put my fingers through your hair_

_Wrap me up in your legs_

_And love you till your eyes roll back_

_I'm tryna put you to bed, bed, bed_

_I'ma put you to bed, bed, bed'_

'_Then I'ma rock ya body_

_Turn you over_

_Love is war, I'm your soldier_

_Touchin' you like it's our first time_

_I'ma put you to bed, bed, bed_

_I'ma put you to bed, bed, bed'_

Kendra unwounded Zazie's arm from around her neck and then held her hand within her own. She twirled Zazie twice before pulling her back into her embrace and swayed her hips with hers again. Zazie looked up at Kendra again, her worry getting the best of her. Kendra still had on that confident smile…but it seems strained to her. _'Shit, shit, shit, shit, what's goin' on? My chest burns like hell…'_ Kendra wondered.

'_Watch the sunlight peak over the horizon_

_Ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh_

_The sun ain't the only thing that's shinin'_

_Ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh'_

'_Now I'ma send you out into the world with my love_

_Tell everybody, Ay_

_Everybody_

_Ay, Ay-ay-ay, Ay, Ay-ay-ay, Ay, Ay-ay-ay, Ay'_

The chorus to the song began to fade out as Kendra slowed down her movements. The two girls stood still in each other's arms; awkward silence filling the air. After a few moments, Zazie was the first one to make a move. She released her grip on Kendra and eyeballed the dark skin girl carefully; once she was released, Kendra's stable stature soon crumbled into a limp and trembling figure. Zazie cautiously laid a hand on Kendra's cheek, only to snatch it away from the searing heat that was emitting from her face.

"K-Kendra? Are you okay, you're burning up!" Zazie was starting to feel nervous; she knew for a fact that it wasn't healthy for a human to be that hot to the touch. Kendra's hazel eyes were void of its original shine as it seemed as if she was in her own world. She stiffly turned around and then leaned against the wall for support; making her way over to the stereo and turning it off. She then pushed off the wall and tried to stagger over to her kitchen, _'I-I just need some water. Yeah, I'm just thirsty, dat's all'_ Kendra thought nervously, feeling the heat in her chest still rising. The temperature just kept increasing ever since they started dancing; the burning sensation immediately left last time, but this time it was relentless and progressing. Zazie ran to Kendra's side, trying to help her keep her balance; but Kendra gently waved her off. She forced a pained smile at Zazie, trying to reassure the tan demon but only making her feel more anxious.

"Kendra, what's wrong? Does something hurt? Here I'll help y-"Kendra interrupted Zazie's rant by simply raising a shaky finger in the direction of her fridge.

"I-I just need some, some, some…wa…" _'Shit'_ Kendra lost strength in her legs as she collapsed to the floor and lost all will power to fight against the unbearable pain in her heart. She lay down sprawled out on the floor, her body convulsing as her eyes were wide open and staring at the ceiling. Zazie kneeled down next to Kendra; panic clouding her senses.

"Oh my god! Oh my god! Kendra, Kendra, if you can hear me, squeeze my arm!" Zazie commanded. Just as Zazie ordered, Kendra squeezed the half-demon's arm although her shaking and eyes never changed.

"Okay, okay, um…I-I'm going to call the ambulance I'll be ba-"Zazie was about to dash for the door, but Kendra's grip on her arm tightened twice as hard. Zazie looked down questioningly at the suffering girl. A single tear rolled down her cheek as she barely managed to choke out a coherent sentence.

"…don' lea…m-me ple…." Kendra's hazel eyes began to frantically move about, fear overcoming her at the possibility of being left alone. _'A-am I gonna die? My god…no, I'm not ready!'_ Kendra was tormented on the inside; the thought of dying alone frightened her to no end. The only other thing that scared her more was the insurmountable amount of pain she felt right now. It felt like her heart was steadily but surely burning a hole through her and soon dissolving the rest of her body with it to only leave ashes behind. Zazie kneeled back down next to Kendra and cradled her in her arms while rocking back and forth; shedding her own bitter tears for the magic sensor's pain.

"Don't worry Kendra, I won't leave you!" Zazie shouted. She frantically looked around the room, realizing that the door was indeed shut and the walls for the dorms were thick. Zazie inhaled deeply and closed her eyes, _'it'll be a stretch but…'_

"HELP!" Zazie screamed at the top of her lungs.

"SOMEONE! I NEED SOMEONE'S HELP! ANYBODY, I NEED HELP, I NEED THE AMBULANCE!" Zazie yelled these words over and over again, raising her volume of voice with every attempt. She continued this for nearly three minutes until she heard rapid footsteps hurriedly pacing down the halls. Negi with his staff in his hand, Asuna, Konoka, and Setsuna with her Yuunagi came bursting through the door; nearly swinging it off its hinges. All of their expressions went from panic to terrify to panic again. Negi paled.

"K-Kendra-San? What happened to her?" A vein pulsated on Asuna's forehead and she snapped at the stammering child wizard.

"Does that matter you idiot? Go call the ambulance!" Negi shrieked in fear before he ran out the door without being asked twice. The three girls now turned their attention to the pair huddled together on the floor. Kendra was still shaking violently and was starting to let out brief shrieks of agony.

"Aughhhh!" Kendra, who momentarily had the ability to properly function her arm movement, clasped her hand over her chest tightly, feeling the burn still growing. The trio of girls kneeled down next to Zazie, Konoka being the one first to take action.

"Here, let me see if I can help for the time being!" Zazie didn't hesitate to let Konoka do her work, but stopped when she realized that Kendra's grip was still holding on strong. Kendra had a steady stream of tears flowing down her face.

"please…don' le-lea…" Kendra choked out between her sobs before her face distorted with pain again. Zazie stared wide eyed at Kendra, taken aback by the vulnerability and dependence she had on her. The half-demon sat back down at her side next to the magic sensor and stared at the crying girl with a determined gaze.

"I'm not moving. You'll have to work with this." Her voice was cold as ice; it actually sent a small chill up the three girl's spines.

"O-of course." Konoka stuttered.

_'This is really it…'_ Kendra thought. _'I'm really gonna die…heh, it's sad really. Now dat I look back at my life, it's really sad…'_

'_**You're not dying you foolish child…'**_ A voice chuckled. Kendra unconsciously gripped Zazie's arm even tighter, feeling startled from the unfamiliar voice in her head.

_'Who was that? Am I goin' insane from fear of dyin'?'_

'_**No child! I already said you're not dying. I am making myself known…'**_

_'What da hell are you talkin' 'bout? And who da fuck are you?'_

'_**Halt thy dirty tongue, child! You shall speak to me with upmost respect! My name is the title that has been known for centuries among the magic world. Thy name is the name that sent even the hottest of one's blood to run cold! I am Anima Tractatori!'**_ The unknown voice boomed, sending a powerful jolt of pain to suddenly run through her body. Kendra's body arched off the ground, screaming in agony as the anonymous pain throbbed from head to toe.

_'What the fu-I mean, what was dat?'_ Kendra thought, catching her herself from using 'thy dirty tongue' again. Anima chuckled.

'_**Good child, good. Thy learns quickly. Now then, like I've said, I'm making myself known. I've been trapped in this accursed cage for years…and I want out!'**_

_'What do you mean you want out?'_

'_**Freedom child, freedom! I want to be able to exert my full power, to have that feeling of mighty triumph when I unleash havoc upon the souls of doomed judgment.'**_ That's when Kendra snapped…which was the wrong thing to do.

_'No! Hell to da no! Look, I don' give a flyin' fuck who you are mister Animalia or whateva, but you're just gonna stay cooped up in dat lil' cage whether ya like it or not-'_

'_**THY WORDS HOLD NO RIGHT FOR CONSIDERATION!'**_ The voice interrupted, boiling anger tingeing its words.

'_**Thy have no control over thy body anymore! My time has come, I shall finally continue my life's purpose of clearing this world of retched souls! If thy mock me again like that, thy shall feel my hatred!'**_ As to set an example for Kendra, her body temperature seemed to double over, making her briefly let out a silent yell of shock.

_'Oh my god!'_ Kendra immediately released Zazie's arm and began to thrash about. She swung at Konoka as she approached her and anyone else who came near her. Zazie tried to grab onto Kendra's wrist to try and pin her down, her demon strength being used as well, but to Zazie's surprise it didn't work. Kendra's wrist wouldn't give out, and turned into a challenge of strength between the two. Both resisted for a while, distraught demon and suffering magic sensor, but Zazie soon let go and quickly leaned back before getting hit by a swing from Kendra. The hurting girl rolled onto her stomach, reaching for something, anything, to grab a hold of and squeeze in order to redirect her pain. Her finger's brushed against the wood frames for her bed; she automatically clasped onto it and began to clinch with slight relief…only to have the portion of wood where her hands were snap off completely. Asuna and Setsuna watched in shock from the inhuman strength Kendra had while Konoka and Zazie frantically tried to calm her down.

"Kendra-San, please stay still so I can heal you!" Konoka pleaded desperately. Kendra stared at the huge chunk of wood in her hand, splinters in her palm and blood trickling down her arm. She lost the energy in her limbs again and fell back onto the floor.

_'Oh god, please…please…please make it stop…'_ Kendra begged weakly.

'_**Now do thy understand child? Thy have no control, I will do as I please and continue the cleansing of rotten souls.'**_

Kendra's frantic actions were back to the trembling and wide open eyes as before. Konoka took immediate action and quickly began to recite an incantation. Zazie held Kendra's hand in her own, but she didn't feel the shaking girl grip her back.

"Kendra, please…don't slip away from me again…"

_'Rotten souls?...So, you're not some crazy bastard out to kill everyone? Only rotten souls?'_

'_**What did I say about thy dirty tongue…'**_ Anima warned.

_'S-sorry!'_ Kendra stuttered.

'_**What you sputter is true. I merely due away with the darkest of souls…those that no longer deserve to live.'**_

_'If what you're sayin' is true,'_

Konoka has been trying to heal Kendra with her magic for nearly ten minutes now and yet there were no signs of healing. Konoka was soon becoming frustrated.

"I don't get it, it isn't working. It's like there's something fighting against my healing magic. If only I knew what it was…if only I…" Setsuna crawled up behind Konoka and massaged her shoulders.

"It's okay Konochan, just take a deep breath. If nothing works…we can always go to Evangeline-San, so we're not exactly out of options yet. We even have an ambulance coming over here." Setsuna whispered kindly. The tension in Konoka's shoulders loosened, sighing in relief from the sword woman's therapeutic touch.

"Thanks Secchan."

_'Then do whateva ya want, Anima. As long as da pain goes away.'_

Negi came running into the room; beads of sweat rolling down his face.

"Everyone! The ambulance is here!" The girls nodded at Negi. Zazie looked back to Kendra…who suddenly wasn't trembling anymore. She held up Kendra on one shoulder and hastily started to drag her towards the door.

"Where's the stretcher?" Asuna asked.

"_**That, child, is a wise answer!" **_Kendra said as she unexpectedly snapped out of her half-dead state; her voice altered with Anima's and grinning maliciously. Everyone stared at Kendra shocked; except for Zazie who was only feeling puzzled from the huge difference in her eyes. _'Her eyes…they aren't hazel. Are they…green?'_ What Zazie thought was indeed correct, instead of the same shining hazel eyes that Zazie adored so much; they were replaced with a pair of emerald orbs that didn't have the slightest trace of humanity in it. Kendra/Anima stared at the surrounding confused and stunned faces.

"A-am I the only one who heard that?" Asuna stuttered. Kendra/Anima slipped out of Zazie's grasp and then sneered angrily at the baffled students.

"_**Listen thy unworthy beings! Thy shall bow before the power of Anima and praise my presence!"**_ Setsuna could feel her wings itching to come out as she cautiously reached for the handle of her sword, _'something's not right. That's not Kendra-San.'_ The swords woman was just about to grip Yuunagi when she suddenly felt a hand stopping her from drawing her sword; it was Zazie's.

"Don't, that's still Kendra…" The tan demon pleaded. Kendra/Anima's booming yet bone chilling laughter broke the two half-demons out of their trading of words.

"_**Hahahah! Well, aren't thy the sweetest soul to ever grace my eyes in the last four hundred years! Truly…"**_ In a speed that was even impossible for Setsuna's eyes to follow, Kendra/Anima gripped a ball of Zazie's hair and forced her up against the hallway wall. This action sent everyone on edge, Negi held up his staff, ready to recite a spell, Asuna activating her pactio card and now holding her artifact in a ready to fight stance, and Setsuna finally withdrawing her sword. But before anyone could do anything, Zazie raised up her hand to halt them.

"No." Kendra/Anima chuckled again.

"…_**it intrigues me how thy affects this vessel's soul. What be my host's name again?...Kendra was it not? She had such a dirty tongue and yet her soul…it was weak, vulnerable, and easy for thy taking. But I must acknowledge the fact that you seem to hold a remarkable place in thy heart. Heheheh, how repulsively adoring! "**_ The magic sensor gripped Zazie's hair tighter, the yank so painful that it sent a small tear trickling down Zazie's cheek. The shy demon didn't know what to do. She didn't want to hurt Kendra, but if she didn't do something soon, there's no telling what the mysterious persona within Kendra would do.

"…get E-Evan…Evangeline!" Zazie gasped between waves of pain shooting through her scalp. Kendra/Anima grinned wider at Zazie.

"_**Thy may call whoever thy want, but no one can surpass my pow-" **_

_'You bastard…'_

Kendra/Anima's eyebrows furrowed as he/she felt like the room was spinning. His/her steel grip finally released Zazie's head; her scalp throbbing tremendously. The magic sensor backed away from the group of mages and demons and leaned against the wall for support of balance,

'_**What? What's happening?'**_

_'YOU FUCKING BASTARD!'_

'_**Halt thy dirty tongue! I shall continue my cleansing without thy interfer-'**_

_'INTERFERE MY ASS! YOU'VE HURT ZAZIE! GIVE MY BODY BACK!'_

"…_**N-nooo"**_ Kendra/Anima held her/his head in her/his hands, battling for dominance over the subconscious. Kendra/Anima's eyes translated between hazel and emerald and her/his breathing rate increased to irregular speed. Zazie, Negi, Setsuna, Konoka and Asuna hastily surrounded the mentally struggling girl and attempted to support her in any way possible.

"Come on Kendra, kick this guy's ass!" Asuna shouted.

"You've got this Kendra-San, fight him!" Konoka said.

"Hang in there Kendra-San! He doesn't have control over you, you do!" Setsuna yelled.

"I believe in you, Kendra-San!" Negi said. Zazie tried to reach out and cup Kendra's cheek in her hand, but it was crudely swatted away by Kendra/Anima.

"_**Thy shall not…t-touch me foul sw-swine!"**_ Kendra/Anima glared angrily at Zazie but then alternated to a face of pure guilt. Zazie smiled warmly at Kendra, reassuring the troubled girl that she didn't blame her at all. Unfortunately, Anima's personality once again switched back with Kendra's; his angry sneer returning.

'_**Child! Thy should give up now!'**_

_'…No, you're losin' dis battle and you know it…'_

'_**Heh, it not matter if I lose or not! Thy cannot conceal me, I will come back again until you lose all will to fight me!'**_

_'We'll see.'_

"Guys" Asuna mumbled. Negi and the three girls turned their attention to her.

"Maybe we should do something to bring out more of Kendra-San. Like showing or doing something that's important to her." That's when an idea dawned of Zazie. Negi perked up at the possible solution.

"Yes! That may just work! But, what's important to Kendra-Sa-"

"I know what to do." Zazie interrupted, her eyes filled with determination.

"What are you going to do, Zazie-San?" Negi asked, confused by Zazie's response unlike the others. Asuna, Setsuna, and Konoka all had knowing smirks smeared across their faces. . Negi had a big question mark above his head, completely confused about what everyone was thinking.

"That just might work, Zazie-San" Setsuna said. Kendra/Anima was now balled up on the floor, still struggling over obtaining complete control of his/her mind. Zazie forcibly sat up Kendra/Anima to lean up against the wall. Kendra/Anima tried to yank away from Zazie's grasp; but the attempts were weak and useless from the mental exhaustion. Zazie wrestled with the magic sensor's arms for a while until she finally pinned her/his wrists to the wall. She then straddled Kendra/Anima's lap, effectively pinning down her/his entire body. Zazie stared intensely into the dark skin girl's changing eyes and then smiled cheekily.

"You don't mind if I'm aggressive for once, do you?" _'Not exactly how I expected for us to reveal our relationship…but I'll take it!'_ Asuna already covered Negi's eyes as soon as she saw Zazie leaning in to the girl.

"_**What does thy plan?"**_ The magic sensor shouted angrily, but the infuriated rant was cut short when Kendra/Anima felt a pair of lips meeting against hers/his. Kendra/Anima's eyes widened in shock before slowly narrowing in anger.

"Mmph! Mmmmph!" The magic sensor continued to thrash under the half-demon's embrace; her/his yells of protest muffled by the forced kiss. Zazie didn't let up though; she wanted her Kendra back now. Zazie could feel the resistance in Kendra/Anima's wrists weaken; she released one of the girl's wrists and wrapped an arm around her neck. She pulled her in closer and deepened the kiss, their tongues eventually starting to fight for dominance. That's when Zazie cracked open her eyes to glance at Kendra/Anima's face; her/his narrowing, emerald eyes were now back to the hazel, pleasant orbs like before. Kendra put her arms around Zazie's waist. The tan demon smiled inwardly…that is, until she felt a painful stinging sensation on her bottom lip; she tasted blood. Anima's personality wouldn't go down without leaving a token of his hatred, so he bit Zazie's bottom lip until she was bleeding. Zazie gasped and pulled back in surprise. She gently rubbed her fingers along her bottom lip, the flesh throbbing in pain from the physical contact. She looked at Kendra, confused and shocked from the aggressive act. Her eyes softened though when she saw how tired and apologetic Kendra looked. The magic sensor looked like she just ran a marathon, beads of sweat rolling down her face, her chest rising and falling heavily from her shortness of breath, and her hazy, half lidded eyes. She weakly smiled at Zazie, her tired eyes shining with gratitude towards the tattooed girl. She then leaned forward and gently kissed Zazie's bottom lip as a sign of apology and trying to nurse the small wound with tender care. Zazie's eyes fluttered closed as she were about to return the gentle and love induced kiss with equal vigor; but Kendra suddenly pulled away. With her feeble smile still brimming with relief, she raised a trembling hand to cup Zazie's cheek.

"…thanks…babe…" Zazie nuzzled into Kendra's bloody, splintered hand and smiled broadly at the magic sensor.

"You're very much welcome." Kendra chuckled until her hazels steadily began to close. She fell to her side on the carpeted hallway floor; a peaceful sleeping expression on her face. Kendra could still vaguely hear scattered voices in the background.

"We'll take her to Evangeline-San…"

"…I don't know. I don't like that loli vampire!"

"She's the only one who can help with this kind of thing. We have no choice."

"Fine, fine. I'm just saying, she likes to be an ass sometimes…freakin' chibi…" Those were the last words that ran through Kendra's ears before she completely blacked out…

_'Evangeline…vampire?'_

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><p>Okay, that's the end of this chapter and now we have a new character in the story! The introduction of this new character shall be continued next chapter, but until then, please leave a review!- X)<p> 


	14. Chapter 14

****Heeeeyyyy! Did ya miss me, did ya miss me, did ya miss me- I know you did! XP

Okay, so I worked super DUPER hard on this chapter, but that's not the reason why it took me a little longer than usual to update. For no reason my computer lost my story, DX , so I had to retype EVERYTHING! But not from memory though, luckily, I had most of the chapters already printed out so I just had to copy those back into my Word Document. MY FINGERS HURT SO MUCH!

But enough of my complaining already, let's get to what's important here!

Disclaimer: I do not own Negima or any of its characters. Now please enjoy the chapter!

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><p><strong>Chapter 14<strong>

Darkness, there was nothing but darkness once again, and just like her last dream, she was standing in the middle of nowhere all alone. Kendra scoffed in irritation.

"Great…this place again." She casually began to walk in a random direction, not caring if she was getting nowhere. She just wanted to wake up from this and apologize to Zazie already. After what seemed like ages of walking to Kendra, she started to become impatient.

"Well got'damn! When da hell is somethin' gonna happen already?" Kendra yelled angrily, she reeled her right leg back in an attempt to kick something but halted when she realized that there was nothing for her to kick. So just for the heck of it, she kicked at the empty space in front of her…only to have it make contact with a hard surface.

"Shit!" She held her foot in pain and scowled at the suddenly appearing object. She cautiously walked, actually limped, up to the unknown object. As she got closer, the shadows that were once covering it steadily peeled back to reveal a tall, gray concrete wall that belonged to a building quite familiar to Kendra. _'It's my old school back in South Carolina. But why here?'_ She placed a palm against the concrete surface and laid her forehead on it; her eyes reflecting utter sadness at the memories it brought to her. A tear rolled down her cheek as the visions of students chasing after her flashed uncontrollably before her eyes. She frowned bitterly at the evil grins and hated glares those students sent her in those memories.

"Fuck them…fuck all of em…" Kendra grumbled. Unbeknownst to Kendra, an unknown figure crept up behind her and then slowly lowered its mouth next to her ear.

"_**Thy dirty tongue never ceases to amaze me."**_ The devastatingly recognized voice chuckled as it jumped back from Kendra's startled swing just in time.

"Shit man! You tryin' to give me a heart attack or somethin'?" Kendra yelled frantically as she held her chest in surprise. Anima laughed loudly before rubbing his chin in a contemplating manner.

"_**Thy idea never crossed my mind…but now that I ponder about it, I could give thy a heart attack on my own whim."**_ Anima grinned sinfully at Kendra, showing his particularly sharp canine teeth. Kendra paled.

"You wouldn't…" Anima cackled at Kendra's reaction.

"_**Of course I wouldn't! If I did, I would be dead too you weak-minded twit!"**_ The magic sensor stared heatedly at the cackling immortal, her hatred rising to the point that she was fuming on the inside. What made her feel even angrier was his appearance. He had long, forest green hair that reached to the center of his back. His eyes were a piercing emerald green and his skin was a beautiful pale hue…which Kendra hated to admit. His muscular yet thin and tall body was wrapped in an elegant golden and green suit of armor. Only one of his shoulders had a metal, gold guard on it; it was decorated with a green trim and a huge, black spike was protruding from it. A large green piece of fabric was wrapped around his waist as it elegantly draped down his lower body and stopped just above the ankles of his golden spiked boots. The armor on his torso was golden as well and came all the way up to his broad shoulders. His arms had arm bands that went up to his elbows; they were decorated in a criss-cross pattern of gold and black on the protective padding of his muscles. To wrap everything up, he had a well refined and handsome face…that really pissed Kendra off. _'Greaaaat, I had a green-haired Casanova livin' in my body for fifteen years…yay…'_ Kendra thought sarcastically with a sigh.

"_**Child! Will thy stare at me coldly all day?"**_ Anima shouted; snapping Kendra out of studying the mysterious soul's appearance. The magic sensor scoffed at Anima.

"Yeah, yeah, whateva. Why are you here anyways? If you don' need anythin' than leave and wake me up…I freakin' hate dis place." Kendra said smugly as she referred to the endless abyss of darkness they were standing in along with the school building still standing where it was founded. Unsurprisingly to Kendra, a vein began to pulsate on Anima's forehead.

"_**Child! Thy have the bravery to speak to me in such a vulgar manner? Does thy need to be taught yet another less-"**_

"Yadda yadda yadda, thy this, thy that, thy my ass! Just tell me why you're here Animalia!" Kendra interrupted, smirking at the rising anger forming on Anima's face.

"_**Anima Tractatori you damned amoeba, Anima Tractatori!"**_ Kendra cowered away in fake fear and then covered her mouth as if trying to imitate shock.

"Anima Tractatori…" Kendra mumbled feebly. Anima crossed his arms and smiled pleasingly at the girl for finally saying his name correctly.

"Halt thy dirty tongue!" Kendra scolded the immortal being while waging her finger; the same way a mother would yell at her son for dragging mud from outside and onto her clean carpet floor. Anima's triumphant smile dropped and was replaced with a face of utter shock; for what Kendra said was indeed true; he cussed. _'Th-this child…is a formidable enemy…'_ Anima thought. He coughed into his hand and walked past Kendra towards the school building.

"_**E-enough of this foolishness! I am here to show thy why I MUST be set free."**_ Kendra rolled her eyes at Anima.

"Oh come on man! There's no way in hell I'm gonna let you out, not after what you did to Zazie!" Kendra shouted, remembering the very moment of making one of the biggest mistakes ever by letting Anima free.

"What? You think I would just up and forget what you did an hour later? And then you'd expect to come crawling back to me talkin' 'bout how you have to clean up the world of 'rotten souls' ?" Kendra made the quotation fingers gesture when she said rotten souls while her eyebrows rose skeptically at Anima.

"_**Hush child! Thy talk too much!"**_

"Thy child's name…is Kendra." Kendra growled. Anima exhaled and rubbed his temples in irritation, _'this child is impossible'_ Anima's mind screamed.

"_**Kendra…"**_ Anima started. Kendra smiled brightly at Anima and then asked in a disgustingly sweet tone

"Yes Anima?" The immortal sneered inwardly.

"_**Just…allow me to reflect my reasons to thy…"**_ It was taking as much as possible for Anima not to send Kendra into a never ending abyss of nightmares, for he had the ability to, _'so why don't I?'_ He wondered. Kendra tapped her chin in a thoughtful manner for a few moments before smiling again at the green and gold clothed Casanova.

"Fine Anima, show me thy reasons." Anima nodded and then placed his hand on the concrete wall.

"_**I take it that by now thy has remembered this place?"**_

"Yeah, it's my old elementary school back in South Carolina…" Kendra responded.

"_**This will be the first of many memories that we'll be visiting. In each one, my powers have affected thy and thy's decisions dramatically."**_ Anima turned around and waved his arm swiftly; the dark abyss around them suddenly changed into an elementary school campus, the sky gloomy and a forest of deciduous trees forming just beyond the school grounds. Kendra's eyes widened in fear when she realized the constant rustling of the leaves form the strong wind; it was going to rain soon. She remembered this day from every last agonizing detail, soon there would be a down pour and if her memories were accurate enough, her younger self would come running in their direction at top speed as soon as the school bell rang.

BRIIIINNNGG!

Just as Kendra predicted, herself from nearly six years ago came running in their direction, beads of sweat rolling down her face as she tried to run as fast as her short legs would allow her. Even from way back then, she still had on her mater classed bored expression and it never broke from the exhaustion. The younger Kendra ran and phased right through the present Kendra and continued running into the direction of the woods. Kendra's eyes followed the younger girl until she turned back around to see a large group of older elementary kids; running hot on her past self's trail. Each child had either rocks, large pieces of wood, or just any sort of two-by-four in their hands; just anything that could be used as a weapon. Anima and Kendra watched as the pack of rowdy children ran while shouting crude and appalling names at the young retreating magic sensor.

"Where ya goin' freak?"

"Don' run crap face; we just wanna play a little!"

"Where's dat cool face now slut?" Anima held out his hand to Kendra, his emerald eyes emotionless and staring at the band of kids soon disappearing into the woods as well.

"_**Hold my hand, Kendra."**_ Kendra hesitated at first, but gently grabbed onto his hand. The images in Kendra's eyes suddenly blurred and then changed into a circle of towering trees surrounding then; they've teleported into the forest. Kendra looked around and spotted her old self against a tree; her bored expression failing miserably to hide how terrible the young girl felt. Present Kendra rubbed her arm nervously, trembling from the dark memory occurring before her eyes.

"I don' wanna see this…" Kendra whispered. She looked at Anima with pleading eyes and tugged on his arm desperately.

"I don' wanna see this! Please, change the memory! Go to somethin' else, anythin'!" But Anima didn't budge; his eyes were glued to the depressed child by the trees, his green eyes filled with disgust and hatred. The rapid sound of footsteps and yells could be heard and were becoming louder as seconds passed. They were coming.

"_**Thy little demons approaches…"**_ Anima muttered. The younger Kendra heard the kids approaching as well, but she didn't move. She was tired and too shaken up with fear to command her legs to move. The pack of elementary bullies arrived and crept up to the magic sensor; they surrounded her in a circle around the tree and effectively trapped her from running away. A tall boy with short, dark brown hair stepped in closer to the scared little girl; he was remembered by Kendra as the head of the group.

"Can't run now can'ya? So lil' miss high n' mighty, you feel like disrespectin' us now?" The larger boy kicked Kendra hard in the stomach as the other kids laughed hysterically at her pain. Kendra held her stomach and fell to her knees, violently coughing up saliva in the process. As if the poor girl hasn't had enough, the boy pulled out the largest pipe he had and struck Kendra across they face. She didn't scream or yelp in pain though; her strong façade just wouldn't allow it. The heavy swing did considerable damage to younger Kendra's cheek; it immediately began to swell into a large bruise. Past Kendra held her cheek and cautiously looked back up at the smirking boy towering above her.

"…Please…just leave me alone…" She whispered. The group of kids didn't listen; they reeled back their arms, smiling wickedly, and began to mercilessly beat the magic sensor with their pipes and wood boards. The miserable child curled up into a ball and shielded herself with her arms to the best of her ability; the increase in her bruises and cuts were proving that her best wasn't enough though.

"Please, stop!" the injured girl pleaded.

"Shut up! You deserve this!" A different child yelled.

"I said…st-stop!"

"Make us freak!"

"…stop…"

"What's wrong? Where'd ya cool n' relaxed voice done gone to?" Present Kendra turned away from the painful memory occurring before her. She dreaded what was happening…and what was about to happen next. Anima roughly turned Kendra back around by the shoulder but still kept his heated gaze on the kids beating past Kendra ruthlessly.

"_**Thy will watch, this part is important and prior to my reasons of freedom."**_ Kendra nodded weakly as her legs trembled from the boiling anger rising on past Kendra's little face. The small magic sensor slowly rose up into her standing position; the brown haired boy scoffed in amusement at her and then halted the rest of the group from beating her. Past Kendra's face was angled downward at the ground and was shadowed by her silky hair; an unusual feeling steadily rising in her chest. The head of the group once again walked up to Kendra and placed his hand firmly onto the tree trunk. He leaned in close to the dark skin girl and said

"What's wrong? Don' tell me ya gonna start cryin' already-ACK!" His taunting was cut short by a hand clenching around his neck tightly and lifting him practically three inches in the air. All kids immediately froze where they stood and stared in shock. Kendra's hazel eyes were glaring dangerously at the gasping boy looking down at her with wide eyes.

I already said to stop once…" Kendra's grip on the boy's throat became even stronger. He kicked his feet after realizing that he already dropped his pipe from the shock; all he could do was desperately try to wring the girl's hand off, but his efforts were slowing down as his face began to turn red.

"…and yet…YOU STILL DON'T LISTEN!" Kendra turned around and slammed the child into the tree with her iron grip still crushing the boy's airway. Kendra's face came in dangerously close to the boy's and stared intensely into his terrified eyes.

"How does it feel huh? To feel so scared…" As soon as the boy's face was starting to turn into a light shade of blue, Kendra released him and then reeled back her right fist.

"…and afraid, that you might die?" The brown haired child held his throat in relief but quickly had that feeling disappear when he saw a fist coming straight for his face.

BAM, CRACK!

He fell hard to the ground, covering his nose and wallowing in pain. By this point, the other kids had ran away and left the boy there for his bitter fate. Kendra wasn't done with him though, she didn't know why, but she had a whole lot more anger to get rid of and she was going to take it out on the boy who bullied her for nearly a year now. A sudden loud thunder boomed across the gloomy sky; giving notice to nature and man that a down pour was coming.

BAM, BAM, PACK, BAM…

Punches and rain came falling down on the boy, his face bloody and critically misshapen. Nearly a whole hour passed until Kendra finally managed to calm herself down. She stood above the nearly half-dead boy; her hands covered and trickling with his blood. She stared at her hands and the broken boy's face in horror…she did this. Present Kendra had tears flowing down her cheeks; she could never forgive herself for that day and it killed her inside every time when she thought about it. Anima grinned at the small child covered in blood, he felt somewhat proud at the occurring scene.

"_**This day Kendra, is the first time I ever lent thy my power. It seems I did an exceptional job."**_ Kendra stared at Anima in shock.

"W-what d-do you mean?" Kendra stuttered.

"_**Just as I said…I hated those children with all my being as well. So, I lent thy some of my power in order to get some well-deserved justice."**_ Anima rubbed his chin as he admired the scene before him.

"_**I must admit, the situation's results were better than what I concurred."**_ Kendra's hands balled up into fists as she snapped at the satisfied immortal.

"What? You're tellin' me dat you're the reason why I nearly KILLED someone when I was only nine years old? Do you know how much guilt and fear that day made me feel? How mentally and emotionally scarred I was; hell, I still am now! And you're tellin' me dat you're da reason for it?" Kendra's tears fell faster as she ranted and screamed furiously at Anima.

"You've ruined my own trust in MYSELF! I couldn't even trust myself to hug my mom for the next two months 'cause of dat and you're sayin' the results were BETTER dan what you concurred?" Anima smiled at Kendra as he took in all the fury and frustration from her.

"Worse than dat, I had to go to therapy for kids wit violent behavior! Dat caused even more kids in school to bully me and they all called me a psycho! Every day…every, single, damn day, they would chase me and I would have to run for my life back home. My elementary years were a livin' hell…" Kendra collapsed to her knees and sobbed silently. Anima kneeled down in front of Kendra and gently placed a hand on the crying girl's back. Kendra angrily swatted it away; her regret and depression peaking.

"_**This pain could all end…if thy just set me free…"**_ Anima whispered in gruff kindness.

"_**Then thy will not have to feel the guilt or receive the responsibilities of my actions. Wouldn't that be best for thy and I?"**_

"No…I'm not an idiot Casanova…" Kendra mumbled. She looked up at Anima and then smirked cheekily, yet feebly, at the immortal.

"But dat's dirty…usin' my grief and fucked up past to your advantage like dat and tryin' to convince me while I'm in a pathetic state like dis. You're too predictable…" Anima grabbed Kendra by the wrist and yanked her roughly up to her feet.

"_**Fine child! Thy will see more of thy pain if necessary!"**_ Anima growled.

"H-hey man! Not so rough, let me go!" Kendra shouted frantically, but Anima's grip didn't loosen. Anima walked down a seemingly endless path in the woods with Kendra stumbling behind him. Soon enough, they reached a gateway framed by the trees and leaves which lead to the dark abyss once again.

"Why we back here?" Kendra asked. Anima ignored her question and continued to tug her along. He continued to march randomly in an unknown direction until a small speck of light suddenly appeared a fair distance ahead of them. Kendra stared at the light with awe as it glowed brighter and brighter with each step they took. Kendra shielded her eyes as they stepped into the blinding white light. She didn't' open her eyes yet, but she almost knew for sure where they were. The soothing sounds of a river flowing and the natural melody of birds chirping a pleasant tune. She remembered the feeling of perfectly grown and healthy grass under her feet, the barely audible sounds of cars in the far distance…and the recognizable humming of a good friend.

"_**Open thy eyes Kendra."**_ Anima muttered. Kendra cracked open her eyes to survey her surroundings. Her guess was right; they were in a clearing with a large pond filled with little ducklings. A tall, dark skin boy was sitting on a large, mossy rock; humming to himself casually as he tossed bread crumbs at the ducks.

"Dis place…is where I met Deveron…" Kendra whispered; she instantly felt her heart sink as she remembered what happened between her and Deveron. Anima released Kendra's wrist and pointed at Deveron who was still charitably feeding the birds.

"_**He befriended thy in thy first year of middle school, am I not correct?"**_ Anima asked. Kendra nodded as a smile crept onto her lips from the memories of finally making a friend after Zazie left.

"Yeah, I just happened to find dis place and saw him here, feedin' the ducks like usual. I thought it was cute…how he name da biggest duck Flynn and treated him like a real friend…" Kendra soon had a wistful look in her eyes.

"I was hesitant at first, but he got me to feed the ducks too. Next thing I know, we started talkin' 'bout things…anythin' really and we were happy wit just doin' dat. We became good friends and it didn' seem like we could eva hit a bumpy road in our friendship. We…used to be so close…" Kendra's eyes drifted downward and her smirk was replaced with a pitying frown, _'not as close anymore…'_ Kendra thought sadly.

"So let me guess…you brought me here to see the talk we had." Kendra mumbled without looking in Anima's direction; she already knew the answer though, why else would they be here?

"_**What thy conceived is true."**_ The immortal responded. Kendra rubbed the back of her neck tiredly, _'great, just great. So he had somethin' to do wit dis too.'_

"Fine, let's just get dis over wit." Kendra grumbled. Anima nodded and then once again was out his arm. The time setting changed from early morning to midday afternoon; this time both Deveron and Kendra were sitting in the grass next to each other and talking happily about their lives and interests.

"Wow, so how did'ya make it out alive?" Younger Kendra asked.

"Well it wasn' easy, but I knew dat if I played my cards just right, I could get on her good side. So when I walked into the house, I hid my report card behind my back when my mom walked in. And then I said, hey ma! I saw those brownies you made in da kitchen, they looked good! "Deveron said as he made hand gestures to further explain his story.

"Yeah, and then?" Kendra asked. Deveron scratched the back of his head sheepishly.

"Yeah, well…she said those were supposed to be sugar cookies." Kendra hissed in sympathy at her friend's slip up; everyone knows that you don't insult a woman's cooking.

"So, what did'ya do?"

"Well first off she got pissed at me and in da end, she saw my failin' F on da report card. But she spared my life when I said dat her daily thirty minute workouts were startin' to work for her." Deveron smiled cheekily as he received a playful jab in the arm from the laughing girl.

"Ahhh, the ole, have you lost weight trick. I like it; old fashioned but works every time." Deveron smiled warmly at the bored expression looking right back at him; that unbreakable look made him feel uneasy at first, but over time, he had somehow grown attached to it. Just one of the many things about her that intrigued Deveron.

"Hey Kendra, can I ask ya somethin'?" Deveron asked softly. This is when present Kendra really felt her heart drop, _'don' say it…'_ Kendra pleaded. Younger Kendra merely nodded; not catching on to Deveron's sudden change of mood.

"Lately, I've been thinkin' 'bout a lot of things…and dis girl dat I really like…" Deveron mumbled shyly as he absentmindedly slid his hand closer to Kendra's.

"Oh? Does lover-boy finally have a crush? So who's da lucky girl?" Kendra asked teasingly. Deveron intertwined his fingers with Kendra's in one swift movement. Kendra stared at their now holding hands and then at Deveron confusingly.

"I'll give ya a hint…" Deveron scooted a few inches closer to Kendra and then tenderly rubbed his thumb over the top of Kendra's hand. That's when the oblivious girl finally caught on.

"W-wait…y-you like me?" Younger Kendra stuttered nervously. Deveron didn't answer with words; instead, he allowed his actions to speak for him and slowly leaned in to the dumbfounded girl for a kiss. Present Kendra felt her face cringe in preparation for the ear splitting sound that was about rip through the atmosphere in three seconds.

Three…

Two…

One…

SMACK!

Kendra's hand came across Deveron's cheek in an instant. The younger girl held her hand in shock as she stared at Deveron; he gently touched his cheek.

"I-I'm sorry, I…" She murmured breathlessly. He looked at Kendra in disbelief and confusion; he was almost one hundred percent sure that Kendra felt the same way as he did…but it just didn't turn out that way. Deveron abruptly stood up from the shaggy grass; his back turned towards younger Kendra but his face fully facing the present Kendra. Present Kendra stared sadly at Deveron's distraught face as a single, bitter tear managed to arrogantly squeeze its way out of the corner of his eye.

"No, I'm sorry. Just…go." Present Kendra walked up to him and tried to hold his cheek in her hand, but he didn't respond to the touch. Of course he wouldn't, this was only an intangible and bitter memory. Deveron looked so foreign to present Kendra; she didn't see that cocky side grin, she didn't see his always shining almond eyes which were now dull and belonged to an empty shell of one of the most important people to her. Present Kendra did see one thing though. She wanted to believe that her eyes were playing tricks on her or that maybe it was the setting sun's reflection causing this; Deveron's pupils shined in a nearly translucent yet noticeable shade of red before quickly disappearing. Past Kendra wouldn't have been able to see this, but now, looking back into her memories and seeing this for the first time, present Kendra would have preferred to never see this; and that's how it was going to be. Present Kendra refused to believe what she just saw and decided to forget about it all together as she slowly pulled her hand away from Deveron's face. The hurt boy wordlessly walked away from past Kendra and phased through the older girl. Both past and present Kendra stared off at his retreating image as they held onto their right hands. _'Even though it's been nearly three years ago…I can still feel the lingerin' feelin' of a sting in da palm of my hand…'_ present Kendra thought as she subconsciously rubbed the back of her hand. Once Deveron was out of past Kendra's sight, she turned around and then dashed off in the opposite direction with tears threatening to fall down her face. Once younger Kendra disappeared into the woods, present Kendra looked back at Anima with an emotionless face.

"A'ight Anima, so what did'ya do dis time?" Anima raised an eyebrow at Kendra's indifferent behavior; he knew how much Deveron meant to her; so it puzzled him why Kendra isn't having an emotional breakdown like before.

"_**Is thy's heart truly made of ice? Thy has witnessed a painful memory, and yet thy has not shed a single tear."**_ Anima questioned. Kendra scoffed at Anima but in all truth, she was crying; she was wailing on the inside and was feeling torn from seeing Deveron in such a heart-broken state.

"I've cried enough over dis already. I've got no more tears to shed for dis memory…it's all in da past…" Kendra's blank façade quickly changed into a hurt gaze before converting back to her unconcerned mask. She couldn't go off and feel guilty about the past yet, she still needed some answers.

"But answer my question, Anima. What did'ya do?"

"_**Such a simple question deserves a simple answer. I made thy lash out at thy companion so that Deveron would not kiss thy."**_ Anima responded casually.

"Why would you do dat? I would've stopped him wit'out your help anyways." Kendra asked.

"_**No"**_ Anima said sternly. Kendra abruptly turned her head and stared questioningly at the armored immortal.

"No? What do you mean no?" Anima sighed as a contemplating look graced his angular and well-defined features; almost as if he was thinking whether or not to tell the confused magic sensor.

"_**Thy would not have stopped the kiss. Thy would have sparred the boy's feelings and allow it to happen. Frankly, I, the almighty Anima Tractatori, share half of your soul…so I also share half of your life in a sense. I distaste pity the most out of all mortal emotions."**_ Anima grimaced as he felt the word pity roll off of his tongue.

"So you're tellin' me dat you made me do dat just so you wouldn't pity someone?" Kendra yelled angrily at Anima. The green-haired Casanova only nodded casually at the dark skin girl's accusation.

"_**That's correct."**_

"But dat doesn't make sense Anima! There has to be a bigger reason than dat! A bigger reason for why you've been makin' me do-"

"_**Hush now child!"**_ Anima suddenly shouted.

"_**There is still much more for you to see-"**_

_Kendra…_

A distant voice suddenly whispered Kendra's name. Anima and the startled magic sensor looked around the forest clearing; trying to see if there was another person in the memory. They found no one however.

_Kendra…_

The anonymous voice whispered again. Kendra tugged on Anima's arm and then asked

"Yo, am I the only one who hears dat?" Anima cursed under his breath as he yanked his arm away from Kendra's grasp.

"_**Our time for now is up. The next time we meet, we shall continue from where we left off."**_

_Kendra…_

Kendra stared confusingly at the upset immortal.

"What do ya mean our time's up?" Anima waved out his arm yet again and the forest around them once again converted back to the dark abyss. He pointed ahead at another speck of light glowing in the distance. It was shining brighter and brighter as the callings for Kendra's presence became clearer and louder.

_Kendra…please…up…_

Kendra took an uneasy step towards the light but then stopped when she heard Anima's voice once again.

"_**No need to take caution child. The voice belongs to Zazie, it is time for thy to awaken from thy's slumber."**_ Kendra was only able to nod at Anima's words; for her eyes were practically hypnotized and glued to the light in front of her. She continued to walk towards the light in a steady but wary pace. As she reached only a mere few inches away from the light, she was finally able to make out a blurry image which soon renewed into Zazie's reflection. Zazie's figure within the blazing shine was looking down at Kendra while holding her hand in her own.

_Kendra, please…wake up…_

Kendra turned around one last time to Anima and then smiled broadly at the green and gold armored Casanova.

"Oh yeah! Anima, if you ever touch Zazie again, I'll take a sleepin' pill, come back here, and shove my foot up your ass…immortal being or not." Kendra's sweet smile mixed together with her intense threat only made the comment seem even creepier. Anima stared at Kendra in shock before shortly bursting out in a fit of laughter; Kendra noticed that the laughter actually seemed genuine instead of bone chilling.

_Kendra, please wake up…_

"_**Hahahah! Thy's dirty tongue really never ceases to amaze me! Fine child, I will hold thy's words against thy! Go child; go back to your lover's side!"**_ Anima shouted haughtily. Kendra's wide grin receded back to a pleasant smirk and then looked down at her hand when she felt a tingling sensation run through it. Her hand was dissipating into the light along with the rest of her body. Before Kendra's entire body was dissolved into the light, she made one last cheeky comment to the green-haired immortal.

"Thy child's name is Kendra!" With that said, the magic sensor's specks of dust were swiftly carried away and into the immense amount of blinding light…

* * *

><p>Back in the journalist's dorm, Kazumi came walking in with her ghostly companion, Sayo, entering right behind her. She slammed her door closed and then plopped down on her bed.<p>

"What do you think that was all about?" Sayo asked.

"I don't know who that ambulance was for, but I hope that whoever it was is okay." Kazumi responded. The news reporter and ghost heard ambulance sirens a little over an hour ago but soon it just left; their room wasn't close enough to see any of the action though. Kazumi would have ran to the scene in order to get a story, but for some reason, she couldn't. As soon as she attempted to take two steps in the ambulance siren's direction, she felt a powerful and intimidating magical energy weigh down on her. Usually she could take a little discouragement when it came to her articles, but that magical energy was like nothing Kazumi ever felt before. It actually sent a chill down her spine and her feel slightly sick to her stomach, _'what the hell happened over there?'_ Kazumi wondered while hunching over in her seat on the bed. Sayo stared worriedly at Kazumi's unusually serious face.

"Ummm, Kazumi-San? Are you okay?" Kazumi didn't look at Sayo but she did tiredly whisper

"…yeah, I'm fine…" Of course, Sayo didn't believe Kazumi one bit. She looked over to the desk on the other side of the room which was covered in recording technology and her computer. _'Maybe I can distract her…'_ Sayo thought.

"Hey, even though you said Kendra-San knows that the teddy bear is spying equipment, we could still at least check to see if we got anything." Sayo suggested. Kazumi's mood immediately perked up from that statement and then literally pounced over to her information gathering desk.

"That's right! There's still the spy bear!" The journalist's eyes burned with renewed eagerness as her hands professionally worked the buttons and switches of the devices hooked up to her computer. She then put on a set of headphones that were connected to a recording machine. Finally, with one press of a button on her keyboard, the computer screen depicted an image of Kendra and Zazie in a dorm room. Kazumi, who was overflowing with a feeling of victory, tried her best to stop her hand from trembling with excitement as she reached over to the mouse and clicked the screen to plat the video. Sayo floated over to the desk and eyed the screen curiously when she noticed Kazumi's giddiness. Sayo and Kazumi smiled with glee as they watched the half-demon and magic sensor dance to the music playing in the background. _'Kendra-San sure has a spicy taste for music, doesn't she?'_ Kazumi thought mischievously as she rubbed her chin and stared lecherously at the screen. Minutes of the couple dancing and the nosey duo watching passed by until the song began to fade out…That's when Kazumi and Sayo's smile dropped. They stared intently as Kendra began to stagger to the radio and then attempting to walk towards the kitchen.

"W-what's going on?" Sayo asked nervously. Just as the uneasy ghost asked that, they saw Kendra collapse to the floor with Zazie panicking above her. Kazumi stared wide eyed at the screen as Sayo hid behind the shocked journalist, afraid to watch anymore of the video. _'Did the ambulance…come because of-'_

HELP! SOMEONE! I NEED SOMEONE'S HELP! ANYBODY, I NEED HELP, I NEED THE AMBULANCE!

Kazumi frantically yanked the headsets away from her head as Zazie's yell ripped through her eardrums.

"Gah!...Damn that was painful!" The news reporter yelled as she held her ears in pain. Sayo attempted to rub Kazumi's ears for her but her hands once again phased through her. She quickly yanked her hands away blushing, which shouldn't be possible for a ghost. Luckily for the blushing soul, Kazumi didn't seem to notice since she still absorbed in the video; even without the sound. She saw Asuna, Konoka, and Setsuna come running into the room and surrounding Kendra, but the next thing they saw made Kazumi jump back a little. Kendra suddenly thrashed about at the girls around her, crawled over to the bed where Kazumi assumed the teddy bear was, and then snapped off a large piece of the bed's wood frame. _'Holy shit what kind of strength is that?'_ Kazumi thought in horror as her jaw slacked with disbelief.

"K-Kazumi-San, i-is that n-normal?" Sayo stuttered in fear. Kazumi gulped and then mumbled under her breath

"Not that I know of…" Finally, they witnessed Kendra being carried by Zazie towards the door and out of the spying equipment's recording view. Kazumi pressed escape on her keyboard and then sat back in her chair with a long sigh. She then looked over at Sayo's trembling figure and immediately felt guilty hit her straight through the heart. She wanted to comfort the worried and scared girl, but how could she is she couldn't even touch her? _'I'm such a useless friend…'_ Kazumi thought sorrowfully.

"Well…this would make an interesting story…" Kazumi started. Sayo broke from her trembling trance and then stared at Kazumi in disbelief.

"Kazumi-San, you can't possibly be thinking of using-"

"But" Kazumi interrupted. She highlighted the video folder on her computer screen and then hit the delete key; erasing the file completely from existence. Sayo and Kazumi shared mutual smiles as gray orbs stared back at brown ones.

"We're just gonna have to work hard and find another interesting story." Both girls laughed as their fighting spirit for finding a good story was only raised more from watching the video…

* * *

><p>Wood; that was first thing Kendra saw. Light; that was the second thing Kendra saw, <em>'our dorms aren't made of wood…where am I?'<em> Kendra pondered. She then realized that she was lying in a bed; tucked in snuggly. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary until she noticed yet another feature about her surroundings. Dolls, dolls, and more dolls; there were creepy and frilly dolls on the shelves, dressers, couches…everywhere. _'Oh my gawd I'm in Chucky's closet!'_ Kendra jumped up into a sitting position and then suddenly felt a silky fabric rub against her left hand. She cautiously looked down and then saw a small doll with disturbingly huge eyes, wearing a black lace dress, and had blood dripping down the side of its mouth. Kendra stared at the dolls over-sized, violet eyes blankly.

"…" She stared at the doll some more.

"…" And stared some more.

"…" And some more.

"…What da hell was I thinkin'? Chucky's closet is way better dan dis place." Kendra shuddered. She threw the creepy doll behind her and the swung her legs around to the side of the bed.

"Where is dis place?" The magic sensor asked herself. She looked around the small room and…with much effort, avoided making eye contact with the many creepy dolls. After studying her surroundings more; she's come to realize that she was in a cabin and most likely it was in the middle of the woods; judging from the sounds of nature outside the window. However, she couldn't make anymore observations because the door to the room suddenly swung open, _'how come I didn't hear someone comin'?'_ Once fully open, the door didn't show anyone; at least, Kendra didn't see anyone there.

"I thought I heard something. So you're finally up." Kendra's eyebrows furrowed, confused by the voice without an owner. She then looked down and saw a small, petite girl in the doorway. Kendra wasn't quite sure how to describe the air that this new person was giving off. At first glance, she was a short and innocent looking girl with long blonde hair that nearly reached the back of her ankles. Her skin was pale, _'no…porcelain white…'_ Kendra corrected. Her deep blue eyes were beautiful, yet it seemed so sharp and…evil as well. But if someone were to study her more thoroughly, they would quickly notice a fang protruding from the corner of her mouth as the small girl smirked. Kendra definitely noticed that, _'ah, a vampire, cool…HOLY SHIT!'_

"Yo, you a vamp?" Kendra asked as she made a small cross with her fingers and was about to start chanting the power of Christ compels you. The small blonde leaned against the wooden door frame and then eyed Kendra smugly as if analyzing something about the magic sensor's appearance.

"The term is vampire, sleeping not-so-beauty; and the name's Evangeline A.K. McDowell." Kendra glared at the miniature vampire.

"Slow ya roll bite size. I was just askin' a question." Evangeline snarled dangerously at the dark skin girl.

"Well, well, your mouth seems to have recovered. I'm pretty sure your body is fine too, so how about you get your annoying ass out of my cabin!" _'Dis lil' bat just don' know who she fuckin' wit!'_ Kendra rose up from the bed and stared heatedly at the just as equally angered loli. Unbeknownst to both of the girls, the rims of Kendra's pupils flashed green and then faded back to hazel.

"A'ight, listen lil' bit! I'm grateful for you lettin' me sleep here and all, but we need to set somethin' straight! You fuck wit me, I fuck you up; you start shit, I beat da shit outta you; you act like a bitch, I bitch slap you!" Kendra yelled as she grinded her teeth in rising anger; a familiar yet unknown feeling welling up within her chest. The magic sensor dragged her leg across the floor in between her and the vampire.

"Cross dis line, and I'll prove to you dat I ain't just all talk; I'm all bite!" Evangeline was just about to walk across that line but stopped when a familiar voice interrupted her from doing so.

"Kendra, you're awake?" Automatically responding to the sound of that one voice, Kendra looked behind Evangeline to see a teary eyed and immensely relieved Zazie.

"Zazie"

* * *

><p>Okay, end of chapter. MAN! I am so sorry about the intense cursing towards the end, but I had to make it obvious about how over the top Kendra was with her anger! It's all for the sake of the story! (Insert War Cry Here) - :)<p>

All righty then, just leave a review for now...go ahead! Click the blue button!


	15. Chapter 15

Hey guys! I'm back with chapter 15! We get a little more insight on one of my OCs! Yay! (Clap, clap, clap!)

Disclaimer: I do not own Negima or any of its characters...but I did own my brother on Fight Night Round Four today! Boo-yaaaa!

Enjoy the chapter! :)

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><p><strong>Chapter 15<strong>

Almost as if a switch for Kendra's personality clicked, all of her previous violent thoughts disappeared and her entire intention was now focused on Zazie. She swiftly walked around the small vampire and then pulled the half demon into a tight hug.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry…" Kendra whispered this repeatedly into Zazie's ear; feeling that she could never say it enough to be forgiven.

"It's okay Kendra…I-I'm fine. But what about you, do you feel hot like before?" Zazie asked as she leaned back from the hug and pressed her palm against the magic sensor's forehead. Kendra grabbed the tan demon's hand and then kissed it tenderly; she smiled at Zazie's rising blush.

"I'm fine babe, but I gotta say…rememberin' dat kiss you gave me before…" Kendra moved her face closer to Zazie's until her mouth was right next to the shy demon's ear.

"…is makin' me feel a lil hot right now…and in a good way too." Kendra pulled back and looked at Zazie's face expectantly. Just as the dark skin girl predicted; steam was rapidly rising from Zazie's face. Zazie opened and then closed her mouth back shut, unable to form a coherent sentence from embarrassment. Kendra stifled back a giggle as she took in the amusing sight before her, but her smile dropped when she saw Zazie's bottom lip. Without thinking twice, Kendra held up her hand and then gently ran her finger over the scab on Zazie's mouth.

"…I did dat…didn' I?...God, I can't believe I did such a stupid thing…" Kendra removed her hand from Zazie and then stared down at the floor in shame; even if it was Anima's fault, Kendra still felt guilty about everything that has happened. Zazie stared sadly at the upset girl and then shook her head.

"No…" She held Kendra's chin in her hand and then pulled the magic sensor's face up to look at her.

"You were not in control of what happened…it was Anima's doing. I know you, Kendra; I know you wouldn't do anything like that…and that's one of the limitless things that I absolutely love about you." Zazie whispered kindly as she gazed intensely into, in her opinion, the most beautiful pair of eyes that she's ever seen. Feeling unusually bold, that tan demon started to lean in closer to Kendra. The magic sensor, who knew what was coming, happily obliged and began to lean in as well with her eyes slowly fluttering closed…

"Ahem! Cough, cough, I'm still here, cough, cough, cough!" Evangeline shouted irritably as she fake coughed into her petite little hand. The two startled lovers stopped just before their lips made contact and then reluctantly leaned away from each other.

"If y'all want to go at it like bunnies, then do it in your own dorms, not in my cabin!" The small vampire shouted. _'Gawd, I really don' like dis lil half pint of shi-'_

_'**Hold thy tongue! But I must agree with thy…I distaste that blood-sucker as well.'** _Kendra's thoughts were interrupted by Anima's sudden input on the matter. Kendra's facial expression changed to one of mild annoyance but with a large indication of seriousness. This earned a confused stare from both Zazie and Evangeline; Kendra didn't notice though because she was already deep within her subconscious and conversing with Anima.

_'So we finally agree on somethin'…heh, dat's kinda shockin' '_ Kendra chuckled in her mind.

'_**Beware of that vampire, Kendra…my soul readings for her are so superior…that they even rival with mine.'**_ Anima warned grimly. Kendra inwardly raised an eyebrow in confusion.

_'Soul readings? Is dat a special ability of yours?'_

'_**Such a simple and lowly ability does not even deserve to hold the title of special. I have abilities of stature that would make any form of life cower before me!'**_ Anima remarked confidently.

_'…you got a big head, you know dat?'_ Kendra responded flatly.

'_**I can't help it, I'm sharing thy's head aren't I?'**_ Anima countered wittedly.

_'Hahah! Touché! But I'll take you advice and keep an eye on bite size-'_

"Hey, are you senile? Wake up!" Evangeline shouted. To say that Kendra startled was a huge understatement. She looked around in bewilderment as she pulled out of her inner discussion and then glanced in front of her see a confused and worried Zazie staring back at her. Kendra smiled sheepishly and rubbed the back of her neck.

"My bad, my bad, I was just out for a secon' there." Kendra wasn't lying, technically, she wasn't fully conscious during that time. Zazie wasn't convinced in the slightest; the last time Kendra said she was okay…she collapsed to the floor. Zazie quickly pressed her hands to Kendra's face again, making sure that her temperature wasn't dangerously rising like last time.

"Are you one hundred percent sure you arent' feeling hot again?" The shy demon asked. Kendra smiled warmly at Zazie's frantic behavior, feeling happy at how worried the half demon felt for the magic sensor. Kendra grabbed Zazie's hands and then removed them from her face with her smile never faltering.

"I'm fine babe…but of course, we can't leave what happened earlier behind us." Kendra said sternly but with a hint of softness directed towards her girlfriend. Zazie forced herself to relax a little, her blank expression's presence returning once again, and then nodded in understanding.

"You're right, we have to figure out what's going on…and find out who's exactly Anima Tractatori-"

"Did you just say Anima Tractatori…The Anima Tractatori?" Evangeline suddenly shouted in disbelief. Both girls sharply turned their attention to the stunned vampire, almost completely forgetting that she was there again. The loli vamp's face cringed in anger as she stomped over to the magic sensor and then grabbed her shirt collar. With as much brute force as a child's body could provide, Evangeline yanked Kendra's face down closer to her own and then hissed

"What connections…do you have with him…" Kendra, with her bored expression now finally steeled back into place, gently grabbed onto the vampire's small, pale hands.

"Did you forget what I said earlier?" Kendra's voice was quiet and slick as honey, but the suddenly appearing sinister aura around her didn't seem to match.

_'Anima…'_ Kendra growled inwardly.

_'How 'bout some help'_ Anima's dark chuckle echoed through the depths of her mind.

'_**With pleasure!'**_ A lime-green surge of power began to glow around Kendra's body, the layer of aura covering her in a thin sheet of anonymous light. The rims of the magic sensor's pupils changed into a dark shade of green as well; the color combined with her hazel orbs only making her stare seem even more intense.

"Remove, your, hands…" Kendra growled dangerously, a large quantity of venom hidden behind her words. Evangeline stared in shock at Kendra's eyes…what she feared was true.

"You…you are a carrier of Anima…" Evangeline muttered. The blonde vampire felt an intense pain in her hands as it then shot up her arms. Kendra had Evangeline's hands in a vise grip, her face showing that this action required little effort for her. The vampire grunted in annoyance, and even in a little pain, as she yanked her hands out of the magic sensor's grip. Evangeline stared at the dark red marks on her hand where Kendra had grabbed her and then scoffed.

"I see…it seems I may have underestimated you a little." Evangeline smirked smugly at Kendra as the magic sensor's aura began to recede along with her eyes returning back to normal. Kendra responded with a cocky smirk of her own and then replied

"Yeah, you did." Zazie, who was taking a backseat to the unusual yet amazing moment that just happened, finally stepped in and wrapped her arm around Kendra's waist. Responding immediately to the touch, Kendra's previous anger once again vanished into thin air.

"K-Kendra-San…" Zazie started. Just from that one word, both Kendra's smile and heart dropped. Her beloved shy demon just referred to her as Kendra-San, not Kendra.

"You should refrain from using that power…we don't know how it can affect you." Even though Zazie was making a very weak attempt at scolding the dark skin girl, Kendra still winced slightly from it, feeling foolish and even a little guilty for worrying Zazie so much. Kendra hung her head in shame.

"Sorry…I won' do it again…" The magic sensor muttered. Zazie stared at Kendra for a moment, pondering over why Kendra's response lacked her usual exuberance. Zazie tightened her grip on the said girl's waist and then smiled shyly at Kendra.

"Kendra, we brought you here because Evangeline-San would most likely know about this Anima person." The saddened girl's mood immediately perked up as she heard Zazie refer to her as Kendra once again; Kendra would never admit it, but when it came to Zazie, her feelings were very sensitive and dependent of the half demon's statements. Zazie noticed Kendra's change in mood as well and just smiled wider. She then looked over at the, seemingly always irritated, vampire and then continued explaining to Kendra.

"Evangeline-San, correct me if I'm wrong." The loli vampire merely nodded. With that, Zazie continued talking.

"Evangeline-San is a vampire and over four centuries old…so it's safe to say that her knowledge of magic is pretty big. Negi-Sensei and our classmates always come to her in case things that have to do with magic happen and we don't know how to fix it. Although, I don't think Evangeline-San enjoys it…" Zazie trailed off sheepishly as she glanced in Evangeline's direction.

"Damn straight I don't!" The blood sucker shouted angrily. Zazie and Kendra sweat dropped.

"So, if dat's true, then I guess you definitely know 'bout Anima. I mean, you don' just yank somebody by da collar and then ask if they have connections wit him unless ya already know somethin' 'bout Anima." Kendra reasoned with Evangeline, her annoyance slowly boiling up inside from remembering what just happened a few moments ago. Evangeline grimaced as she heard the immortal's name.

"Yeah, yeah, I know him, just stop repeating his name. It's nauseating." Anima's voice suddenly ringed in Kendra's head.

'_**I don't know this accursed, blood-sucking, onion-phobic vampire!'**_ As ineffective as it was, Kendra still covered her ears from the Casanova's shouting.

"Yo,yo, chill out! You don' have to shout." Kendra hissed under her breath. Zazie stared at Kendra quizzically.

"But, no one shouted Kendra."

"It was that fungus hair-colored bastard wasn't it?" Evangeline scowled. That earned a giggle out of Kendra…even though Anima's opinion on the statement was far more negative.

"Yeah…dat was Anima. He don' like you for some reason…did somethin' happen between y'all?" Kendra asked as she winced from the angry immortal's rants of protest.

'_**I said I don't know her! This bat is far too below me to have any relations with me!'**_ If Kendra thought Evangeline's scowl couldn't get any bitterer, then she was proven wrong.

"Just drop the subject, this conversation is pointless!" The loli vampire grumbled.

"Fine, but I still want information 'bout dis guy…I mean, he is livin' inside of me and all." Kendra replied. Evangeline placed her palm on her forehead and then sighed tiredly, _'Kami where's my tea when I need it?'_ the vampire thought.

"Fine…come down stairs and I'll explain what I can." The vampire trotted down the stairs, Kendra and Zazie close behind her. Once Evangeline reached the bottom of the steps, she turned around to face the pair of girls and then asked

"Are you sure girl…the news isn't exactly all that great." The vampire wasn't trying to be nice and save the girl from the feeling of dread from what she'll hear; she actually enjoys seeing other people wallow in misery. It's just that she really…really didn't feel like telling someone else's life story right now. Kendra stood firm where she was and then nodded sternly at the small vampire.

"Yes, I'm sure. Tell me 'bout him…who is Anima Tractatori." Zazie intertwined her fingers with Kendra's; feeling a surge of possessive pride from Kendra's show of strong resolve. Evangeline sighed.

"Sit down." She pointed in the direction of her living room where two sofas were surrounding an elegantly carved wooden table. As the vampire commanded, the magic sensor and half demon sat down on a couch opposite the one Evangeline made herself comfortable on.

"Chachamaru!" Evangeline suddenly shouted. Kendra stared at Evangeline in confusion.

"Who's Chacha-"

"Yes master?" Chachamaru appeared right beside Kendra.

"Oh my gawd!" Kendra yelled as she held her chest in surprise. She turned to the girl next to her who was awaiting Evangeline's orders and then immediately noticed something was off. _'Hold on…dat ain't no human, unless antennas are the style these days in Japan…'_ Kendra thought as she scanned Chachamaru's appearance. The magic sensor suddenly felt the childish urge to take a magnet off the nearest fridge and see if it would stick to the robot maid. Kendra smiled inwardly at that thought but fought off the idea. Zazie stifled back a giggle, sure most of the students of 3-A were surprised when they learned that Chachamaru was a robot, but Kendra's reaction was a funny sight to see.

"Bring me and the girls some tea." Evangeline commanded.

"Anything else master?" The robot asked. Evangeline waved her hand dismissively at Chachamaru.

"No, that's all."

"Hai" Chachamaru bowed lowly and then trotted off into the kitchen. Kendra watched the robot's retreating back until she entered the kitchen. The magic sensor turned back around to face Evangeline as she pointed her thumb behind her at the kitchen door.

"Is she-"

"She's a robot. Now shut up and listen." Evangeline interrupted blandly. A vein pulsated on Kendra's forehead, but she allowed it slide this time.

"Anima Tractatori…had many different reputations in the legends about him. Some had said that he was an agent of the grim reaper himself; stealing the souls of innocent people and feeding on them for a life source. Then there were other legends that said he was a savior sent down from heaven who defeated an indescribable evil from erasing the existence of humanity. But all of those legends, I'm telling you right now…are wrong."

_'Anima, is what she sayin' true so far?'_ Kendra questioned the immortal.

_**'…'**_ Kendra received no response. She shrugged it off and redirected her attention back to Evangeline.

"There's only one legend that's truly accurate about Anima. He was an average mage who lived a peaceful life, had friends…and a family. He lived with his wife and daughter in a small home; his grandfather lived with them as well. Anima's family and friends believed that his grandfather was crazy, a lunatic at that, because the old man always rambled on about breaking through with a new and powerful form of magic. Anima was the only one who didn't shun him; in fact, he studied this form of magic with the old man from time to time. Sooner or later, his grandfather announced that he finally figured out this new form of magic but kept the secrets of it hidden away from society. Only Anima knew where the secrets were…and he was very curious about those secrets. Then, a few months later, his grandfather died from natural causes."

'…_**That damned bag of bones…he is to blame…'**_ Anima whispered ferociously, slightly catching Kendra off guard.

_'Anima, what's wrong? What'cha got against the old guy?'_ Kendra asked the Casanova.

_**'…'**_ No response. Evangeline sighed.

"Then…Anima went into the hidden place where his grandfather's secrets were held. He tried to perform the incantations, it took a lot of tries, but it turned out successful. He received the power to manipulate souls and an immense reserve of magical energy. He even defeated another strong mage, Igneus Misericordia, who was trying to destroy his village. After that, things went great for him…his rankings as a mage increased, his family had more money, their lives were great…but over time…Anima changed. He started to have sudden outbursts of anger and sometimes his magic energy would leak out and cause damage to the people around him. He tried to find out if he could undo the soul abilities, but his grandfather didn't have a spell for it. Later on, his entire personality made a complete one-eighty; he became arrogant, temperamental…and very violent. In one of his fits of rage, he killed his wife and daughter with his own bare hands; the man was devastated." Kendra felt a pressure on her hand and looked over to see that Zazie was tightly gripping her hand and looked like she was on the verge of tears. The magic sensor squeezed her hand back to provide emotional support for both of them.

"He never meant to kill them; his powers were taking over his mind and heart. So in the spur of his depression, he travelled the world, taking the souls of people who didn't deserve to live…" Evangeline halted in the middle of the story for a second and squeezed the chair armrest, her knuckles white and trembling. Zazie scooted closer to Kendra, feeling on edge from the vampire's sudden anger. The chibi vampire quickly calmed herself though and released the chair; she breathed in deeply before continuing.

"He was trying to fill the hole of guilt in his heart, but it was never filled. He kept doing this his entire life, never collecting enough souls and dying a miserably man. His soul however, never died. He lived within another's body ever few generations…eventually conquering that person's subconscious and continuing to take people's souls…" Evangeline shifted her vision towards Kendra, expecting the girl to start bawling her eyes out and shouting about how she didn't want to lose control of her mind to Anima. Kendra was doing that exact opposite though; her fists and teeth were clenched in anger as her intense hazel eyes burned a whole into the floor.

"…I can't believe…dat such a fucked up thing could happen to someone like dat…h-he had a family and f-friends…" Kendra hissed between her teeth.

_'Anima…if you're listenin' then listen good! I won' give up my mind to you…but I will help you through dis, whether you want it or not!'_ Kendra shouted inwardly. She hated this, she truly hated this. Kendra could never stand the thought of someone doing such horrible things but with their true feelings going against it; it was like self torture. Just like when Zazie used to kill humans with her sister; Anima was torturing himself by trying to compensate for the murder, but was only burying himself deeper into his own guilty grave.

'_**Didn't say that I despise pity? Do not pity me thy piece of trash!'**_ Anima shouted back, but his voice was cracking with feelings that Kendra could easily recognize; pain, regret, confusion, and desperation.

_'You can say what you want Anima, but I'm still stickin' wit my word. I will help you…because you deserve dis, you deserve help…'_ Kendra thought softly; her angry face turning into a tender smile. Anima's soul flinched at the magic sensor's words as a feeling of déjà vu struck him. It stung his heart to no end, just remembering who used to say those exact same words to him. The person he used to see every day…before he made that one terrible mistake. Anima didn't like this at all. For the first time, one of his carriers was actually showing care for him, and it wasn't an act; it only made that sting in his heart even more painful. He scoffed loudly at Kendra as he had no more to say to the stubborn girl. Kendra was brought back to reality when she heard the heavy and clunky footsteps of Chachamaru along with the clanging of tea cups.

"Your tea master." The robot girl placed the tray on the wooden table, bowed once again, and then left without another word.

"She ain't too social, is she?" Kendra asked playfully as she took a small sip of her tea, completely ignoring Evangeline's grimace. After swallowing, Kendra's face now matched the blood sucker's own. _'Bitter…'_

"Ummm, do you got any Kool-Aid?" The magic sensor smiled sheepishly as she saw Evangeline's frown become sourer. Kendra sweat dropped and then forced herself to take another sip of tea; it was nearly impossible for her to comprehend how Japanese people drink this all the time like it's nothing.

"Y-yummy" Kendra stuttered, _'don' throw up, don' throw up, don' throw up'_ she thought desperately. Zazie's thumbs rubbed together frantically as she looked on worriedly at Kendra; it baffled her how the magic sensor seemed so calm about all of this and was even joking around with a temperamental mini vampire.

"K-Kendra…don't let Anima w-win your mind over. I'll help you through all of this…no matter what, I-I'm not losing you." Kendra smiled broadly and then kissed Zazie's forehead, which earned a disgusted grunt from Evangeline.

"Babe…who said I was gonna lose my mind to Anima? I'm gonna handle dis, trust me, okay?" Zazie nodded, her blush was enough evidence to show that babe was the only thing she heard. Evangeline picked up her cup of tea and then took a small sip.

"This is really touching and everything…but what you're saying is stupid and a lie. You think will power alone is enough to fight against Anima? Of course not…you just got lucky last time." Kendra smirked widely at the vampire.

"I didn't say dat I was gonna fight him usin' will power." Evangeline skeptically raised an eyebrow at the magic sensor.

"Oh? So how do you plan on going about this, girl?"

"Well…first I'll have to find dat albino rat."…

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><p>Back in Negi, Asuna, and Konoka's dorm room, Chamo was currently wallowing in his own little piece of heaven. It was tough, but he managed to break the lock on the girls' underwear drawers and now he was lying in a huge pile of panties. He smoked a drag on one of his oversized cigars and then sighed contently, <em>'hahhh…life is good'<em> the perverted ermine thought. Around thirty minutes of lounging around, he decided to take a quick afternoon nap. His little rodent eyes were just about to flutter closed-

KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK!

Chamo grunted in irritation, _'hey, hey, can't an ermine get some sleep around here?'_

"Yo! Is anyone in there?" Chamo recognized that voice immediately when the vein on his forehead automatically began to pulsate.

"No one's here hillbilly, go away, come back another day!" The small rodent shouted towards the door.

"…"Everything went silent for a long moment and Chamo was even starting to believe that Kendra actually gave up…what a foolish thing to think.

"…a'ight…Zazie, back up some…"

"…"

"…"

BAM!

"Ahhh!" Chamo shouted in surprised. Kendra kicked the door open, despite how loud the kick was, the door's hinges and knob surprisingly didn't break. Chamo scurried out of his pile of panties and up under the covers of the top bed bunk.

"Are you crazy Ane-San?" The terrified ermine yelled. Kendra walked into the dorm room and then stepped onto her wood frames of the bottom bunk; her head leveled with the top bunk as she gazed at the practically trembling rodent. Zazie then walked in, eyeing the door worriedly, hoping that Kendra didn't over-do it a little.

"Nope…I just want some info." The magic sensor replied casually. Chamo eyed Kendra suspiciously.

"What do you want to know?" Kendra smirked at the white rodent.

"I wanna know some things 'bout those pactio thingies." Zazie sharply turned her head in Kendra's direction, not liking where the conversation was going already. Chamo's little ears twitched from hearing his most favorite word in the entire world. The ermine jumped onto Kendra's head and then shouted

"Finally, Ane-San's came around!" Kendra stifled back a giggle, _'he can be cute when he tries huh?'_ Kendra grabbed the ecstatic rodent off of her head and then held him up in front of her face.

"Whoa, whoa, hold on there lil man. I don't know if I'll make a pactio or not until I get some answers…a'ight?" Chamo nodded his tiny little head rapidly over and over again with stars practically shining in his eyes.

"Yeah, yeah, you got it Ane-San, ask away, ask away, and I'll answer it for ya!" Kendra laughed at the rodent's giddiness.

"Pffft, okay, okay, just calm down." The amused magic sensor placed Chamo down back onto his pile of panties; Kendra didn't even want to know why he was lying in girl's underwear so she decided to ignore it. She then made herself comfortable on the couch along with Zazie sitting next to her.

"Now, in short, tell me, what's a pactio?" Kendra asked. Chamo puffed on his cigar once again before explaining confidently

"Ah, a pactio; well that's simple Ane-San. It's like a temporary contract between a mage and the mage's partner. The partner is provided with a pactio card, which acts as an activation key for their new and unique abilities received from the pactio." Kendra nodded in understanding, absorbing every word the rodent squeaked. Zazie, on the other hand, was already starting to put the pieces together. _'She's not asking about this because she wants to …m-make a pactio with Negi-Sensei…right?'_ The tan demon thought nervously. Without anyone noticing, she once again fiddled with the edges of her skirt to stave off her jealous urges; the method was failing miserably.

"Okay…so here's another question. What would happen if the partner…had a second person livin' inside of 'em?" The magic sensor asked carefully. Chamo's tail shifted around as he thought for a long moment about it; his little eyes squinting in concentration.

"Hmmm…well, the pactio could end up forming a second pactio card for that extra person or it could make one card that shared both of their abilities-wait. Why do you wanna know about this Ane-San?" The magical ermine asked suspiciously.

"Oh, you don' know? I thought dat teach would've filled you in about it already. I have an immortal's soul livin' inside of me, his name's Anima Tractatori." Kendra answered indifferently. The albino rodent's jaw literally hit the floor as his eyes expanded to the size of saucer plates.

"D-d-d-did you j-just say…Anima…T-Tractatori?" The stunned ermine stuttered.

"Yep"

"…Oh my Kami…YOU'RE MAKING A PACTIO WITH ANIKI! NO EXCEPTIONS!" Kendra and Zazie quickly backed away from the ermine that was exploding with eagerness. The magic sensor held up her hands to Chamo and attempted to calm him down.

"Chill out fur ball. I was plannin' on doin' it anyways, so just bring down da volume." Kendra wasn't quite sure, she thought her ears were playing tricks on her, but she could've sworn she heard the sound of a snap nearby. That snap ladies and gentlemen, was Zazie's composure breaking all together. Chamo and Kendra went deathly silent as they turned around to see an actual visible aura coming from the jealous half demon. As Kendra saw that incredibly scary sight, a familiar chill went up her spine, _'uh oh'…_

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><p>Asuna, Konoka, and Setsuna were walking down the halls together; chatting idly about, in Setsuna's opinion, a rather uncomfortable topic.<p>

"Oh come on! You don't know if it's impossible or not unless you try!" Asuna insisted. Setsuna blushed crimson red when Asuna suggested that they at least 'try'.

"A-Asuna-San, I already t-told you! We can't possible have k-kids unless there's some kind of magic spell involved, which we don't k-know even exists!" The bashful swordswoman whined. Konoka hugged Setsuna's arm and then whispered seductively into her protector's ear

"Awww, don't be like that Secchan. We can always still try, right?" Setsuna's face practically exploded with steam as her cheeks burned from the blood rushing to her face. Asuna laughed loudly at the so-called stoic bodyguard as Setsuna struggled to form a coherent sentence.

"I-I, um, you and, uh-I mean-"

"WHOA!" A somewhat recognizable voice shouted and then was followed by the sound of breaking dishes. The group of girls could tell it came from a little farther down the halls.

"That sounded like it came from our room." Asuna realized.

"That sounded like Kendra-San's voice." Setsuna added.

"And that sounded like one of my dishes!" Konoka finished. Asuna and Setsuna nodded in agreement; without hesitance, they ran to their dorm room. Asuna, who was the first one to reach her door, first off noticed that her door was slightly creaked open. The second thing she noticed was the sound of two voices pleading softly; one of the voices sounded a little nervous, but the other one just sounded down right terrified out of it's wits. Cautiously, Asuna swung the door open…only to react just in time to duck from a tea cup flying straight for her head. It crashed into the wall behind her and shattered into pieces. Asuna looked at where the, used to be harmless, tea cup made contact with the wall and immediately felt her jaw hit the floor. The impact from the thrown cup actually made a huge circular crater in the wall.

"What the hell's going on here?" Asuna shouted angrily; Konoka and Setsuna finally showing up behind the enraged red-head and experiencing a familiar feeling of shock as they witnessed what was happening in front of them. Kendra and Chamo were hiding behind the couch, which was flipped over, and were using it as a shield from a very furious Zazie. The half demon was standing in the kitchen with a stack of saucers in her hands and was throwing them like Frisbees after each comment she yelled.

"How dare you?"

TOSS, CRASH!

"Am I just not enough, huh?"

TOSS, CRASH!

"You are NOT kissing Negi-Sensei!"

TOSS, TOSS, CRASH, CRASH!

"Come on babe, it's just one little pactio! You know I still love ya!" Kendra shouted but with a chuckle hidden behind her words. Sure, the magic sensor was a little scared of Zazie's rare tantrums, but she still found it cute. Kendra's pleading fell on deaf ears though as the half demon continued to blindly throw plates, bowls and saucers at the darks skin girl and albino rodent.

"For Christ's sake Ane-San, listen to her!" Chamo screamed as his tail trembled with fear.

"Calm down, Zazie! I promise ya, I won' kiss anyone else after dis, my lips are only for you okay?" The magic sensor hoped that that would at least get a reaction out of Zazie, and it did. Zazie abruptly stopped in mid-swing with a spoon in one hand and a spatula in the other. Zazie glared in intense annoyance, but it wasn't directed at Kendra, Chamo, or anybody; she just stared at nothing in particular as her eyes narrowed in anger. She grudgingly threw her 'weapons' to the floor and then, without making eye contact with Kendra, ran out of the room. There was a long moment of awkward silence as everyone stared at the door. Kendra was the first one to speak.

"I'll um…clean up da mess for ya and everythin'…sorry 'bout dat." Kendra mumbled sheepishly as she rubbed the back of her neck. The three girls, including Chamo, stared at Kendra like she just grew a second head.

"What?" The transfer student asked.

"I-Is that okay? Shouldn't you go and talk to Zazie-San? She looked pretty upset." Setsuna suggested nervously; she still wasn't the best at relationship advice, but she still knew the basics of it.

"Y-yeah…Zazie-San looked pretty mad there; hell…she looked even kinda scary. What did you do?" Asuna questioned, still feeling stunned from what she just witnessed.

"Don' worry y'all…Zazie was always like dis in the past. She was a pretty jealous girl, but she usually lets it go da next day or so. I thought she grew out of it by now though." Kendra reassured with her signature bored façade finally returning. Everyone sweat dropped from how calm Kendra was acting.

"I-I wouldn't have expected Zazie-San t-to be the jealous type." Asuna responded tensely. Konoka finally spoke up.

"Ummm, why are you here Kendra-San?"

"Oh yeah" Kendra stood up from her crouching position and the dusted off her clothes.

"I wanted to talk to Chamo 'bout makin' a pactio wit Negi-Sensei and stuff…dat's kinda why Zazie went all 'jealousy mode' on me." Kendra explained. Setsuna skeptically raised an eyebrow at Kendra.

"I thought you didn't want to make a pactio with Negi-Sensei; how come you want to do it now?" Kendra sighed as she ran a hand through her silky hair.

"Yeah 'bout dat…remember dat whole Anima thing dat happened yesterday?" Of course the girls remembered what happened, how couldn't they? Everyone nodded except for Chamo who wasn't present during the Anima incident.

"Well…I learned some things 'bout Anima and I decided dat..I wanna help him. So I came to Chamo and asked him some questions. I think dat if I make a pactio, I can receive a card dat will allow Anima to do what he wants but wit his powers limited. If his power's limited…then he won' be able to cause any trouble…"

_'So dat's my plan Anima…what do ya think?'_ Kendra asked the immortal.

_**'…'**_ Kendra still wasn't getting a response from Anima.

_'Still not talkin' huh? Fine, we'll talk later in my dreams…'_ Kendra ordered rather than offered to the still silent Casanova.

"Are you crazy?" Asuna suddenly shouted; snapping Kendra out of her thoughts.

"Huh, crazy?" Kendra responded absentmindedly.

"That guy attacked Zazie-San and is trying to take control of your mind, and you want to help him?" The magic sensor cringed from the red-head's rather annoying and loud fit of protest.

"But you don' know what happened to him…he deserves to remember what it feels like to be a normal person again. I just…can't help but feel sorry for dis guy." The transfer student's eyes momentarily gleamed with sympathy as she remembered the story Evangeline told her.

"But-"

"Look, let's just leave it alone for now, okay? I won' make da pactio 'til Zazie approves of it anyways." Kendra interrupted. Everyone in the room sighed and left the Anima subject at that just like Kendra asked, although Chamo was still confused about what they were talking about…

* * *

><p>Zazie stormed into her dorm room and then slammed her door shut before plopping into her bed. She buried her face into her pillow.<p>

"Whoa…what's got your panties in a bunch?" Mana Tatsumiya, who was currently shining one of her guns, glanced in the upset half-demon's direction. Zazie, who never even realized Mana's presence until just now, remained silent for a long moment.

"…I'm an idiot…" Zazie muttered, her voice muffled by the pillow. That simple, short statement got Mana to turn her full attention to her usually silent dorm roommate.

"Why?" The gunslinger asked curiously.

"…" Zazie didn't respond. She was too caught up in her thoughts; mentally beating herself for her pesky jealous nature. She blamed it all on her demon side; she didn't mean to go off like that. It's just that when she heard that Kendra was going to kiss another person…she just lost it. The shy demon hoped that she grew out of that habit by now, but that doesn't seem to be the case. Also, she knew that how she reacted was wrong, but instead of apologizing for how she behaved…she stormed out of the room. _'I even avoided eye contact with Kendra…I really am an idiot…'_ Now Zazie had one big question in her mind,_ 'Kendra isn't mad, is she? I mean, she did use to forgive me for my tantrums in the past…but people can change after seven years…ah geez!'_ Zazie was silent for the rest of the day; wallowing in her own regret. Mana already gave up on getting any information out of the girl; it just wasn't any of her business to meddle in it…

* * *

><p>Kendra rubbed her hands together as she looked at her surroundings; feeling satisfied with her hard work.<p>

"A'ight, I think dat's everything. And again, sorry for trashin' your room…and for da fine china…and da plates…and da bowls…and cups." Kendra apologized for probably the tenth time that hour.

"For the last time, it's okay Kendra-San. My grandfather can pay for that crater in the wall and everything; so there's nothing to worry about." Konoka reassured the guilty magic sensor.

"But still…" Asuna started while she was making up her bunk bed.

"You got yourself a feisty one, ne?" The red-head teased. Kendra shook her head.

"You ain't lyin'…but dat only makes her cuter." The girls laughed at the thought of a jealous, feisty, yet cute Zazie; it's not something the girls of 3-A would ever imagine. Their laughter soon died into chuckles and short giggles.

"Oh yeah, Setsuna-San" Kendra started as a secretive smirk appeared on her face.

"Yeah?"

"Come to my room tomorrow, I got a lil somethin' to give ya."

"Eh?" Setsuna responded in confusion. Asuna and Konoka looked at each other questioningly and then at Kendra and Setsuna.

"What are you giving Secchan, Kendra-San?" Konoka asked in her same bubbly manner. Kendra slowly raised her thumb and flicked her nose as she winked at the guardian.

"Dat's a secret, Konoe-san." Now Konoka became suspicious; what was Kendra giving to **her** Setsuna that it had to be a secret? Konoka's eyebrows furrowed and then studied her protector's flustered face as she tried to find an answer in her eyes. Kendra let an amused smile break out on her face as easily saw the jealously Konoka was giving off.

"Awww, don' worry Konoe-San. I'm not gonna take ya woman." Kendra cooed, feeling happy to know that she could find another person to tease. As Kendra hoped, Konoka and Setsuna, for the first time, both blushed a deep shade of burgundy. The mage princess turned away, trying to hide her blush.

"I-I'm not jealous, I was j-just curious." Konoka lied.

"Oh?" Kendra said teasingly. She was just about to tease the couple some more but then remembered she had another important matter on her hands.

"…Dad…crap!"

"Dad?" Asuna repeated but Kendra didn't hear her. The magic sensor felt her heart beat rise in nervousness just from thinking about her father who was possibly nearing death. Without another word, Kendra frantically ran for the door, but before she left, she turned around and then shouted hurriedly

"Holla!" She slammed the door closed; leaving the girls to stare at the door in mild confusion. Konoka turned to her swordswoman.

"Secchan, what does holla mean?"

"I'm pretty sure it means goodbye…" Setsuna answered; not entirely sure of her guess…

* * *

><p>Kendra fumbled through her pockets for her room key, but then realized she didn't have them on her. The last time she remembered, her keys were on her bedside table. Kendra cursed under her breath; her phone was on that same table. She needed to know what was going on with her dad and see if her friend Deveron could update her on anything. With a defeated sigh, she silently, yet harshly, slammed her fist onto the door. But, much to Kendra's relief, her door creaked open from the impact; she looked at the door knob to realize that it wasn't even locked in the first place. She inwardly gave personal thanks to the Lord and Kami before hastily entering her room and closing the door behind her. The worried magic sensor quickly trotted over to grab her phone and then realized that she had one missed phone call from Deveron. She clicked the call button for Deveron's contact number and pressed the phone to her ear. No more than three rings later, Deveron picked up and then answered<p>

"Yo"

"Hey Deveron, I saw dat you tried to call me earlier. Did somethin' happen wit dad?" Kendra asked nervously.

"There hasn't been any changes wit your dad…I just um…called to uh-"

"Getting' lonely?" Kendra interrupted, a knowing smile gracing her features. Deveron sighed.

"Yeah…dis might sound hard to believe…" Deveron started smugly which earned an eye roll from Kendra.

"…but makin' more friends is harder dan I thought." Deveron's confident tone soon diminished and was replaced with one of sorrow.  
>Kendra wanted to think that she was just reading too much into her friend's voice, but she could've sworn she heard a hint of anger in his voice. The transfer student shrugged it off and then replied softly<p>

"Hey, hey, who am I talkin' to here? Dat's not the Deveron dat I know and care 'bout; now is it?"

"I guess not…"

"Dat's it, I think dat someone needs a pick me up." Kendra grinned as she heard the boy chuckling over the phone.

"Come on Kendra, over da phone, really?" Deveron asked incredulously.

"Damn straight over da phone! Now, who's irresistible?" Kendra questioned.

"…I am…" Deveron muttered.

"Who's sexy?"

"I am."

"Who's a lady killer?"

"I am!"

"And who is my homeboy?" Kendra shouted happily over the phone.

"I am baby!" Deveron screamed at the top of his lungs. Both parties laughed hysterically; deeply enjoying their now limited time spent with each other. Deveron sighed contently.

"Thanks Kendra…I can a'ways count on you to give me a good ole pick me up."

"It's all part of da homegirl's job after all." Kendra replied naturally, as if it was a common law in the best friend's handbook of conduct.

"But give it some time Deveron, there's bound to be people out there who can't resist ya and would kill to be your friend. Don' give up…okay?" Deveron attempted to make a marine impersonation and then responded

"Mam, yes mam!" Kendra fake sneered at the formality that Deveron used with her.

"You know I hate formalities!"

"Sorry mam, I won' do it again mam!"

"You're so stupid!" After a short giggle, Kendra then sighed in disappointment.

"Well…I think Imma 'bout to bounce Deveron…call you later, a'ight?"

"Yeah…holla." Deveron muttered, sounding disheartened from his conversation with Kendra ending so soon.

"Holla" Kendra flipped her phone shut and then placed it back onto the bedside table…

* * *

><p>Deveron stared at his cellphone screen which was currently blinking the message 'call ended' as he rested on a loveseat. A woman walked up behind Deveron and then wrapped her arms affectionately around the boy's shoulders. Her white locks of hair gently brushed his face; Deveron leaned back into the woman's embrace and then sighed silently.<p>

"So how are things going so far?" Deveron's lady companion whispered into his ear seductively. Suddenly, his faced cringed with overwhelming anger.

"She sounded…really happy…This isn't going like I planned." Deveron slightly turned his head back to face his company.

"And you sound like you're thinkin' bout somethin'. What's on your mind?" Deveron asked, smirking at the flirty tone the lady's voice was giving off.

"Oh, you know me all too well, don' you?" Deveron's grin grew wider as the rims of his pupils altered into a bright red hue; glowing brightly in the unlit room that they both shared.

"Yeah…I got to know you real well last night too." Deveron snickered sinisterly as the woman began to tug him back towards their bed.

"How about we get to learning about each other some more?" She whispered playfully to Deveron.

"I never thought I'd enjoy learnin' 'bout somethin' so much…" Deveron aggressively pushed her onto the bed and then began their 'learning sessions' once again. Only the midnight moon bared witness to the events occurring in that room as it shined through the glass window…

* * *

><p>As Kendra was lying across her bed and listening to her favorite radio station, she precipitously felt a long and severe chill shoot up her spine. She shot up into a sitting position and then hugged her arms, trembling from the feeling of dread filling her body. <em>'W-w-what da hell w-was dat?'<em> Kendra pondered in her mind.

'…_**Beware child…I sense a familiar presence, and it's becoming stronger as the hours pass…' **_Anima grumbled bitterly. Kendra could only nod, feeling too shaken up by the mysterious force to even respond with her thoughts…

* * *

><p>Okay guys, that's it for now...and now there's something suspicious here going on with Deveron...Oh yeah, picking up the story now!<p>

Well, please leave a review like always and I'll be back with chapter 16! Oh yeah, I forgot to put this in Chapter 13!

*Anima Tractatori is Latin for Soul Manipulator

*Igneus Misericordia is Latin for Burining Misery

CLICK THE BLUE BUTTON -.-


	16. Chapter 16

Yo everybody! I'm back now with Chapter 16! XD

(_'Normal present time thoughts'_)

(_**'Flashback thoughts'**_)

Disclaimer: I do not own Negima or any of its characters...damn. -.-

Anyways, please enjoy the chapter! :)

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 16<strong>

Nothing too eventful happened for the rest for the rest of that one specific Sunday afternoon. Kendra decided to use her free time to hang up her posters and old artwork on the walls; she just couldn't stand the blandness anymore. She almost felt at home once again when she finished everything; but almost didn't seem to be enough for the slightly homesick girl. Even though hanging up those posters took up a good hour to do, she still had more hours to use. At first, she was going to give Zazie a quick visit, but then she remembered that she was probably still in a bad mood. The magic sensor didn't worry about it though; she knew her jealous girlfriend would always get over her anger the next day and ask for forgiveness. Obviously, Kendra would welcome her with opens and just let it all become a silly memory. She walked over to her bed and then plopped down while sighing contently.

"Man…dis brings back memories." Kendra muttered as she observed her surrounding walls. Posters weren't the only things she hung up on her walls. She had an authentic Gamecocks pillow hanging right next to a Gamecocks college football jersey. Her dad ordered it for her from E-Bay and even had it customized to say Kendra Guinyard across the back. That memory always made her smile; it was one of the rare times that her and her father bonded during an event, and football was definitely one of them. Then, she looked over at a picture of Kendra and Deveron posing in a picture. The two friends each had an arm wrapped around the other's shoulder; pulling the other into a half hug. Deveron was flashing a toothy smile as he stuck out his tongue, crossed his eyes and raised two fingers behind Kendra's head. Kendra, on the other hand, was just staring blankly at the camera as she made a small piece sign with her right hand. Kendra giggled, _'he was such a spaz.'_ The last thing Kendra observed wasn't hung up on her wall; it was propped up on her dresser with the word 'KAZE' practically staring back at her. Kendra sighed irritably as she ran her fingers through her hair, _'Damn! I still ain't give her da bag!'_ It annoyed Kendra that she kept putting off her present for Zazie, but with everything that's been happening to her, she just couldn't ever find the right time to give it to her. _'I've worked so hard on it dat one night too. I need to pick up da slack and give it to her already.'_ She still couldn't believe that she went through such a tiring night to make that present for her. _'Imma 'bout to sound really corny but…love really will make ya do crazy things.'_ Kendra laughed silently at the universal, yet oh so true cliché. Kendra leaned forward and rested her elbows against knees; pondering over whether or not to take a small visit down memory lane. _'Ah what da hell. It ain't like I got anythin' else betta to do.'_…

* * *

><p><em>Flashback<em>

**'_I still can't believe dat Zazie's leavin' tomorrow…'_**_ Kendra thought sadly as she walked back to her house; dragging her feet across the pavement miserably with her head hung low. She was lucky enough to be able to hold back her emotions back at the half-demon's place, but now, no one's around to see her depression dawning down on her. She allowed a few tears to roll down her cheeks, but she didn't feel quite home free until she successfully reached her room with the door closed and securely locked. At about more than half way to her house, Kendra laughed weakly at how ironic she was acting. She just told her best friend that it wasn't healthy to hold in all of that pint up emotion, and here she was fronting a calm heart in front of everyone. _**_'Heheh…it's funny, even mom and dad thought dat it was surprisin' when I didn' look sad when I learned 'bout the news. I'm such a…what was dat word mom taught me? HI-hippo…hypocrite, I think? Yeah…I'm one of those…'_**_ Sooner or later, the saddened magic sensor finally arrived at her house drive way; with little enthusiasm, she swung open the front door and muttered_

"_I'm back…" She didn't get much of a response. Her mother, Shon, only shot a glance in the magic sensor's direction and then quickly replied_

"_Y-yeah, welcome back…Don' do it Tommy! Silvia still loves you!" Shon shouted desperately to the television screen. Kendra rolled her eyes, _**_'…soap operas…'_**_ Her father, Sam, was currently sitting in his favorite lazy boy chair while reading the sports section of his newspaper and sipping on a beer._

"_Mhm…" Sam grunted, not even looking in Kendra's direction. It required a lot of resistance, but Kendra refrained from glaring at her father for barely sensing her presence. Instead, she took a deep breath and then calmly closed the door. Without another word, she went upstairs to her own peaceful sanctuary; in other words, her room. _

_She entered the room and then locked her door; she even double checked the lock to make sure, _**_'don' want anybody just walkin' in here…' _**_After literally a third double check, she breathed a sigh of relief and then landed face first on her mattress that was awaiting her bitter tears. She didn't disappoint either, she cried into her bed sheets for nearly over twenty minutes as her body trembled from occasional and more violent sobs. _**_'Zazie…I ain't ready for you to leave me…please don' go..'_**_ It just didn't seem fair to the young magic sensor, she finally found someone who made her feel free to be herself, not just what other people wanted her to be. She also knew that Zazie was becoming more and more open to her…but only her. Zazie never fully trusted anyone else, not even her foster parents; she did warm up to the Nelsons a little though. _**_'We need each otha'…'_**_ Kendra smiled weakly at that thought, but it didn't last for too long, _**_'what'll I do when she's gone?'_**_ Kendra wondered._

_ Her sobbing soon calmed down into constant sniffling. She propped herself up onto her elbows and then looked around her room; remembering all the good times she and Zazie had when the half demon would come over for sleep overs. _**_'Why does it gotta hurt so much? Dis is worse dan my chest pains…'_**_ Kendra placed her hand over her heart and felt her rapid heartbeats pounding against her chest; her heart pumping vigorously from the cardiac stress her crying caused. Kendra sneered at her show of emotional weakness; she just made a promise with Zazie to never show her true and deepest emotions, yet she was pitifully wallowing in her tears right now. _**_'If I'm gonna start hidin' my emotions…dis has to be the last time I cry…'_**_ Kendra closed her eyes shut and then scrunched up her face in determined focus; all the while her hand still placed over her heart._

"…_For Zazie…" Kendra whispered. A memory of the two happy friends flashed before Kendra's eyes._

"…_For Zazie…" She repeated. Another memory of the two played like a never ending movie behind her eyelids._

"…_For her…" Random memories of Zazie constantly rolled across her consciousness; playing on and on about the smallest things about the half demon. Zazie's first day of school…Zazie's first time of eating a real home cooked meal…Zazie smiling for the first time…Zazie having her first birthday party…Zazie, it was all Zazie._

"…_I'd do anythin'…" Kendra's voice cracked from the heavy sorrow she felt as one last, devastating memory stubbornly crawled up from the back of her mind and made its existence know once again. It was Zazie again, but this time…it was on the first day they met; the day Kendra learned so much that it completely turned her world upside down. The image in her head was so clear; the tattooed girl was right in the middle of telling Kendra what happened to her and how she got that huge gash in her stomach. Kendra's hand trembled as she witnessed those old, but still just as bitter, tears fall down Zazie's cheeks. _**_'For her…I'd do anythin'…'_**_ Kendra reopened her eyes. That's when something highly unusual happened to her…she wasn't sure what the feeling was. Suddenly, a large wave of determination, loyalty, and passion surged through her body. She felt like she could lift an elephant with her own strength if Zazie asked, _**_'what's dis feelin'?'_**_ Kendra wondered frantically, feeling overwhelmed but amazed at this foreign emotion…_

* * *

><p>Kendra chuckled to herself and then lied down on her bed. She stared at the ceiling in amusement, <em>'now dat I think back 'bout it…dat was most likely da moment dat I fell in love wit Zazie.'<em> Kendra did tell Setsuna before that she realized that she was in love with Zazie two years after she left, but it turns out her heart figured it out way earlier. _'I was just a kid anyways, so I didn' know what love actually felt like…'_

* * *

><p><em>Kendra looked across her room to her shelf of toys and stuffed animals. She stared at one stuffed toy in particular; a regular teddy bear with a tear drop under one eye and a slash over the other eye drawn in my a black permanent marker, <em>**_'Oh yeah…it's my Zazie bear. I wanted to give it to Zazie, but she refused anyways…' _**_That's when Kendra felt an idea hit her._

"_For her, I'd do anythin'…" Kendra whispered. She walked over to her toy shelf, grabbed the Zazie bear and then marched out of her room. Once Kendra reached the bottom of the steps, she peeked around the corner and then glanced into the living room. Just as she expected, her parents haven't moved an inch. Kendra glance upwards, as if to ask the lord for luck, exhaled quickly and then walked up to her father. At first, Sam didn't react to the little girl standing right next to him as she was too absorbed in the newspaper sports section. After a few moments of getting no response from her father, Kendra tapped on his shoulder. Sam only grunted and brought the newspaper closer to his face. Kendra, who obviously knew what Sam was trying to do, tapped on his shoulder once again. Sam's eyes narrowed as his grip on the newspaper tightened until it crumpled and was nearly tearing. Kendra smirked inwardly, _**_'he's gonna break soon…just one more time.'_**_ Kendra tapped on his shoulder yet again, making sure to put extra force into it this time. Sam swiftly threw the newspaper into his lap and then glared at his persistent daughter._

"_Damn girl, what?" Sam grumbled irritably. Kendra inhaled, preparing herself for the risk she was about to take._

"_Dad…you're da man of da house, right?" Kendra asked. That got her father's full and undivided attention._

"_Of course I am! What kinda question is dat?" Kendra saw a small ray of hope; his reaction was exactly how Kendra predicted._

"_So dat means dat you can do whateva you want, right?"_

"_Damn right I can!" Sam shouted; his ego and pride getting the better of him. _**_'I hope it was dad who actually had the stitchin' skills…not mom…' _**_Kendra thought._

"_My Zazie bear is important to me and is kinda like a symbol of me and Zazie's friendship. I wanted to make somethin' for her-"_

"_No" Sam interrupted._

"_Oh…well I guess it is expected; I knew you couldn' be up to da challenge…" Kendra started casually, glancing up at her father through her eyelashes. Sam raised an eyebrow at this, it almost sounded like his only daughter was actually questioning his abilities as a man. Kendra noticed Sam's reaction and continued to lure him in with the bait._

"…_I mean…I thought dat the man of the house was able to do anythin' and would never back down from a challenge. Oh well, I guess you just don' count along wit all da other…" Kendra raised her head up till her vision was leveled with Sam's, _**_'and now for da kill.'_**

"…_**real**__ men…but hey-"Kendra's verbal barrage was halted in its place as Sam shot up out of his favorite chair. Kendra's mother torn her gaze away from the soap opera and then stared at her husband in surprise and worry. If her husband actually got out of his lazy boy before eleven o' clock and it wasn't for a bathroom break, she knew that something must've upset him severely. The entire house was silent as it seemed like time had stopped itself; Kendra could've sworn the air around her dropped a few degrees as her father glared at her. Kendra gulped, _**_'did I go too far?'_**

"…_Let's get dis straight! I am da realist man dat you'll ever meet and I can take any challenge dammit! And as for you…" Sam bent down and then eyed Kendra dangerously. If it wasn't for Kendra making that promise with Zazie earlier, she was sure she would be doing a lot more than just trembling right now._

"…_what's da challenge…" Her father grumbled. There was a moment of silence as Kendra took a few seconds to compute what exactly just happened. _**_'No way…my plan…it worked?'_**_ Kendra looked at her father in bewilderment._

"…_W-what?..." Kendra mumbled. Sam scowled in annoyance at his baffled daughter._

"_Tell me da damn challenge girl! Or else I'll change my mind!" Kendra fumbled around with the Zazie bear and then held it up to her dad._

"_I-I know dat you're really good at stitchin' and stuff. So I was wonderin' if you could help me make da Zazie bear look pretty…and to stitch somethin' else for me on da bag to carry it in." Kendra cursed inwardly for stuttering in her first sentence; she really needs to train her emotions more. Sam huffed as he stood up straight again and scratched the back or his head, _**_'is dat his thinkin' pose or somethin'?'_**_ Kendra wondered. Her father sighed in exasperation._

"_Fine, fine, I'll take da challenge! But you'll have to do some work too lil' missy." Sam ordered; his tone softer than the one he used earlier. Shon walked up to Kendra and then kneeled down to face the child magic sensor._

"_Honey, you don' have to hide the real reason for doin' all of dis. You want to give Zazie a farewell gift…don' you?" Shon smiled warmly when she heard her daughter's voice fade into a whisper._

"_I um…yeah, it kinda…is." Kendra didn't look into her mother's eyes; instead, she found the carpet beneath her feet to be very interesting. Her mother stood back up and then roughly patted Sam's back._

"_Well, ya ole man here ain't doin' it alone! So, how can I help? I'm not as good at stitichin' as your father here, but I can say dat my eye for fashion is far betta dan his." Sam glared at his wife._

"_What da hell does dat mean?"_

"_Oh honey, we all know dat you would sew a dishrag onto a jacket so dat it could be used as a pocket." Shon giggled, not even budging under Sam's heated glare. Kendra smiled; her mom has got to teach her how to do that._

"_I'll take care of da clothes for da bear Kendra; you just help your father." Shon winked at Kendra and right at that moment, a huge realization hit Kendra like a swift slap across the face. _**_'I have da coolest parents ever'__…_**

_Flashback End_

* * *

><p>Kendra quietly laughed to herself; it always felt nice to think back to the few good times she had with her parents.<p>

"Yep, I really was surprised 'bout dat. We ended up stayin' up all night workin' on Zazie's farewell gift. But den I hag to go and miss da plane to even give it to her." Kendra looked over at the 'KAZE' bag again, _'Imma 'bout to sound corny again, but…maybe fate is tellin' me somethin' here. I mean, I don' know what, but it's definitely somethin' '_Kendra shifted around to lie on her side; her hand naturally brushing against her bed's wood frame. The magic sensor's hand halted for a split second before returning back under her pillow. _'I guess Konoe-San took care of dat huge chunk of would I broke off too…Man, her gramps really is loaded!'_ Kendra thought. It really did surprise the transfer student when she had her first confrontation with Anima. She experienced true and painful agony that she never even thought she would live through. Also, Zazie and the others weren't the only ones who were terrified at the horrifying feat Kendra managed to pull off with her own bare hands. The amount of effort it would take to break that thick piece of wood would've been equivalent to the impact of a swinging sledgehammer. Kendra grimaced at that thought; she didn't mind being a little stronger than the average fifteen year old girl…but being a walking, talking sledgehammer was a different story. Kendra grunted loudly in exasperation as she rolled onto her back and pulled out her pillow from under her to smother her face into it. The magic sensor sighed and then slowly dragged the pillow off her face. She held her hands in the air with both palms looking right back at her.

"Anima…what have you done to me?" Kendra muttered…

* * *

><p>Back in Kazumi's dorm, two girls were seated at a table centered in the middle of the unlit room. The only source of light was a small lit lamp on the edge of the table.<p>

"Eh? What do I think about Guinyard-San? Well…" The girl fidgeted a little, not quite sure how to answer that question in the nicest way she could. Kazumi stared intently at her homeroom classmate, her notepad open with a pencil in her hand. The journalist decided to go with the typical method of asking her classmates' opinions about the transfer student. Hopefully, she might be able to make a story with this information.

"Don't be shy Makie-San. I need all the information I can get, and don't worry about identities. I always make the comments anonymous in my articles." Kazumi reassured, easily able to see how nervous Makie was. Makie wasn't exactly the most critical person, and being reviewed by the infamous journalist always sent the red-head a little on edge.

"Guinyard-San…did look kinda scary when she came into the classroom-b-but she has pretty hair!" Makie quickly added at the end. Kazumi, without breaking her stare from the babbling gymnastics girl, jotted down a few notes.

"Okay, okay…so what kind of personality do you think she has, despite her appearance?" The news reporter asked blandly. She knew what direction this interview was going. Kazumi wasn't going to get anything too interesting out of the girl if she was too scared to tell what she really thinks.

"Ummm…" Makie scratched the side of her head absentmindedly, once again thinking about how to word her response.

"I think she might actually be a nice person, even though she looks like the cold and mean type." Makie finished proudly, feeling satisfied with her response. Kazumi, on the other hand, was not satisfied; to make it short and simple; she thought Makie's reply was bland and boring. _'Looks like I'll have to interview another classmate…'_ Kazumi thought.

"One more question." The journalist said.

"What is it, Kazumi-San?" Makie asked.

"Do you think Kendra-San and Zazie-San are in some kind of relationship?" Kazumi could feel her lecherous grin returning as she witnessed Makie sheepishly scratch the side of her head again; a light pink blush spreading across her cheeks.

"Actually…yeah, I think there's something going on between those two. In fact, I think the entire class thinks so." Kazumi's mood perked up from hearing this; if that was true, then perhaps making an interesting article about class 3-A's opinions on the transfer student wouldn't be so hard. Plus, she hasn't interviewed Haruna yet; she knows that Otaku had some saucy information hidden up her sleeve. Makie noticed the reporter's change in mood and smiled at her.

"Well, looking at your face, I must've done my job right." Kazumi stood up from her seat and then dusted off her jeans. She then flicked the light switch on, which lifted the tense atmosphere immediately.

"Yep, you sure did. Thanks for the info Makie-San!" Kazumi said gratefully. Finally, after two days of getting no information on Kendra, she's at least got a lead on something that could be a huge scoop. Makie then stood up and started to walk away but abruptly stopped and looked back at Kazumi.

"Um, if what I said hasn't been much help, there is something else I could probably tell you about." Kazumi stared quizzically at the not too bright red-head.

"Oh? And what would that be?" The journalist asked.

"There's this rumor going around that there's this ghost in the school's music room. Some girl said that she heard beautiful singing and piano playing coming from the direction of that room; but then she heard angry shouting. When she went in to check, no one was there." Kazumi rubbed her chin in intrigue.

"How many times has it happened?" Kazumi asked.

"Well, it only happened once yesterday…sorry it's not much, but I thought maybe you would be interested in it." Makie replied. Kazumi patted Makie's shoulder; flashing her usual bright but somewhat untrustworthy smile. _'It would be a huge coincidence…but maybe that rumor has something to do with our new transfer student. Now that would make a great story!'_ Kazumi thought excitedly.

"No need to apologize Makie-San. You actually helped me out a whole lot today!" Kazumi said happily, _'maybe I should use this method of info gathering more often…'_ the journalist thought. Makie said her last goodbyes before leaving Kazumi's room, smiling brightly like always. Kazumi sighed as she looked over the notes she had on Kendra-San. A few moments later, Sayo appeared phasing through the walls. Kazumi, who noticed her ghostly companion's presence, tossed her notepad off to the side and then grinned.

"Hey Sayo, I think we might have a good story on our hands." Sayo stared at Kazumi in surprise.

"Wow, already? It's only been one day and you've already found another story on her." Sayo said, impressed by her best friend's efficiency to bounce back. Kazumi scratched her head in embarrassment and, even though she tried her hardest to suppress it, blushed at the sudden praise from the ghost girl.

"Ah, um…it's nothing really." Kazumi muttered. Sayo stared at Kazumi in interest; actually, it was the blush that caught Sayo's eye. Since Sayo was a ghost, her blushes looked a whole lot paler compared to a real human's. She floated over next to Kazumi and studied her face.

"Man, it makes me jealous how pretty a living person's blush is." Sayo said in slight envy. Kazumi, who was feeling uncomfortable from the close proximity, took a small step away from Sayo and looked away from her.

"What's wrong?" Sayo asked.

"A blush…isn't always a good thing Sayo…" Kazumi whispered, feeling her blush burning even more. _'This girl is just too innocent…'_

"How isn't it a good thing Kazumi-San?" Sayo questioned innocently. Kazumi shook her head dismissively at the ghost girl.

"Forget about it Sayo." Kazumi said as she finally started gaining control over her blush and was now facing Sayo again. Sayo only nodded at Kazumi, deciding not to question her best friend's confusing behavior for now. On Kazumi's wardrobe dresser laid the spy bear, facing the two emotionally confused girls. It's red ring eyes observing the scene that just occurred between the two girls, almost as if analyzing their souls. One soul felt regretful and useless, the other soul felt guilty and confused…

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><p>Kendra realized something and then began to look through her bed covers, it wasn't there. She then checked her dressers…she still couldn't find. In a moment of impulse, Kendra swiftly dropped to the floor and looked under her bed. It wasn't there either. Kendra stood up and scratched the back of her head while looking around; she looked just like her father at the moment when he would do his thinking pose.<p>

"Where's da teddy bear?" Kendra pondered…

* * *

><p>Monday morning came around faster than most Mahora students wanted it to and so the dreaded school week has begun once again. Kendra was standing in front of the mirror of her bathroom, checking herself over and making last minute touches. Specifically, she was preparing her face for a week of that same old bored expression. It wasn't a big deal for her to do it Friday because it was only for one day and she was used to hiding her emotions. But now she had to keep a straight face for a whole school week and the last few days have been really emotional for her. She found love, she learned her dad is in a coma, she has an immortal being living inside of her, and yesterday she had an immense feeling of fear crawl up her spine. <em>'Love, depression, surprise and fear all in three days…dat's my own personal record.'<em> Kendra thought. She made some last second touches to her hair, it was very important to her; she took care of it like it was her own child. _'I think it was my mom's fault; she's da one who got me hooked on obsessin' over my hair.'_ Kendra wasn't complaining about it though. With one last glance at her reflection and a satisfied nod, she started heading for the first and, in her opinion, most annoying class of the day...

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><p>Mostly half of class 3-A already arrived, coincidentally they were all students who were aware of the existence of magic except for one girl, and began chatting with their normal group of friends. The air of the classroom was exuberant and full of energy like always as the girls spent their few minutes of socializing about their weekends. Zazie, on the other hand, was just sitting alone at her seat while silently staring out of the window and resting her head on her hand. Asuna was leaning back in her seat with her feet propped up on her desk and her hands resting on her stomach. She also had a book over her face. Her early paper route was extra busy today, so the red-head decided to catch up on sleep in homeroom. <em>'I need the sleep…and that brat better not wake me either!'<em> Asuna thought angrily. Then, as if Kami was playing a mean joke of Asuna, she heard a familiar voice ring through her ears.

"How dare you try to sleep in Negi-Sensei's class?" A vein pulsated on Asuna's forehead. She removed her 'blind fold' from her face and then dropped her feet from the desk.

"Gah Iincho! Do we have to do this now?" Asuna yelled in exasperation as she stared at the blonde class president angrily. The upset representative, Ayaka Yukihiro, smugly whipped her blonde curls behind her shoulder with her heated glare still rivaling with Asuna's.

"It's disrespectful to a teacher to sleep in their class, and I'm not going to let you disrespect my beloved Negi-Sensei!"

"Whatever shotacon, you're just sucking up to Negi-San so you can get in his bed…" Asuna growled while rubbing her left temple. Ayaka's face reddened with anger.

"What was that you monkey?" Asuna scoffed at her furious classmate and then slowly rose up from her seat. She stared Ayaka down and growled once again.

"Do I need to say it again, 'cause I gladly will! Whatever shotacon, you're just sucking up to Negi-San so you, can, bang, him!" Everyone else in the classroom began to place bets on the two girls. It was a pretty normal thing for the class since Asuna and Ayaka would fight practically every day.

"I'm betting on Asuna-San, she looks extra pissed off today." A random student said.

"Nah, I'm going with Iincho."

"Are you crazy? Do you not see Asuna-San's face? I wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of her kick; Ayaka-San isn't winning today."

"Yeah, I gotta agree with her on that one, Asuna-San's win all the way." Kazumi said as she pulled out some money, placing her bets on the red-head. Back to the two quarreling girls, Ayaka drew her face dangerously close to Asuna's.

"I'd watch the next thing you say gorilla, or else you'll be eating desk wood pretty soon." She hissed between clenched teeth. Asuna smirked at Ayaka's face; sure she always fought with the blond, but the class rep sure knew how to pick up her mood. It was like her busy delivery route this morning never even happened.

"Oh, scary, although that's exactly what I expected to hear from a cradle robber." Asuna taunted. That line did it.

"You little…" The class representative grumbled. Ayaka picked up a nearby desk and held it above her head. Asuna jumped back and picked a desk of her own, her smirk still present. Zazie slowly turned her attention to the two quarreling girls; deciding to watch along with the rest of her classmates. Things were just about to start flying until a specific transfer student walked into the room. But that's not what made everyone abruptly stop what they were doing.

Kendra, who didn't pay any mind to the two girls, walked right in between them and as if Kami was playing yet another mean joke, Ayaka had already threw her desk…and it was currently heading straight for Kendra. All of the students panicked and began to yell out at Kendra before the desk crashed into her, but Kendra ignored their shouting. She knew all too well that a huge class desk was flying straight at her; but Kendra also knew that no matter how fast her reflexes were, she wouldn't be able to dodge that hunk of wood. Timed seemed to slow down as the desk inched closer to Kendra's head. The magic sensor closed her eyes and reached into her mind for Anima.

_'Anima, my life is kinda on da line here and I won't be able to dodge dis thing in time…help me out.'_

'_**Do thy know that thy asks of my assistance too much?'**_ Anima said in annoyance.

_'Yeah I know, just lend me some help.'_ Kendra responded.

'_**Fine child'**_ Anima grumbled.

_'It's Kendra.'_ As the magic sensor thought that, she pulled out of her subconscious and then immediately felt a quick surge of energy run through her body. Without flinching, the desk which looked like was about to cause a devastating injury, practically broke in half once it was only centimeters away from Kendra. Time seemed to have returned back to normal speed as the girls stared in shock. One half of the desk landed in between a row of seats eight feet away from Kendra. The other half went flying through the air and landed behind Negi's desk. Asuna and Ayaka stared in utter confusion, and their eyes widened even more when they observed Kendra more closely.

A flash of green light was pulsating around Kendra's body in a circular shield. It would start out at the empty space floating above Kendra's head and then travel downward until eventually fading out with flowing pattern repeating in a continuous cycle. Also, the rims of Kendra's pupils were once again green and glowing brighter than before. Although the rest of 3-A didn't see Kendra's eyes, her force field was definitely noticeable. After many long moments of stunned silence, the magic sensor's shield evaporated back into her body as if it was being transported into her through the pores of her skin. Kendra held up her hands and stared at them in amazement.

_'Whoa, Anima…dat was cool…'_ Kendra thought in astonishment.

'_**Don't push thy luck! The more thy uses my abilities…the more thy's mind will fall under my control…'**_ Anima retorted.

_'Guess I gotta make sure dat doesn't happen, huh?'_ Kendra thought smugly.

'_**Your foolishness never ceases to amaze me as well…'**_

_'Ouch'_ Kendra laughed out loud; which caused most of the girls to jump with fear. The magic sensor looked up at the two girls that she was still standing in between. She pointed an individual finger at each girl and then said bluntly

"Y'all need to take a chill pill, I could've died ya know."

"…uh, I, uh…um-what…eh?" Asuna responded dumbly. Ayaka just stood there; still frozen from what she just saw. The class representative had no knowledge of the existence of magic and what she saw was probably one of the most powerful sources of magic in sorcerer history. Ayaka's eyes slowly began to roll into the back of her head as she began to fall backwards. Luckily, Asuna was able to snap out of her trance and catch the shell shocked blonde before she hit the floor.

"Iincho? Hey, Iincho?" Asuna lightly shook the girl to try and get a response from the fainted girl. Asuna received no such luck.

"Damn…Negi-San's probably gonna have to erase some of Ayaka-San's memories." Asuna cursed under her breath. With little effort, Asuna held Ayaka bridal style and then locked eyes with Kendra.

"You" The red-head started

"Come with me." Kendra stared at Asuna's eyes and scanned them for the emotion that she was trying to decipher. After a few silent seconds of the two girls staring, Kendra realized what those heterochromatic eyes were feeling; amazed but with a hint of anger. The magic sensor only nodded and began to follow Asuna out of the classroom. Zazie and the entire class watched in silence as the door slid closed behind them; their mouths gaping open and frozen in their seats. _'This…is getting out of hand-'_Zazie's thoughts were interrupted by the class suddenly bursting into an uproar of panic and questions.

"Oh my god, oh my god, oh my GOD! Am I the only one who saw that?" Haruna shouted as she gripped Makie by the collar and shook her rapidly.

"H-Haruna-San! Please…st-op i-it…gett-ing…d-d-dizz-dizzy!" Makie pleaded desperately as the Otaku only increased in speed. Kazumi just stared at the door, her eyebrows raised and her friend Sayo doing the same.

"Man…" Kazumi whispered.

"This girl is just chock full of stories…but I can't even write about them." This really was probably the most difficult information gathering Kazumi had ever gone through. Her reporter senses though were just screaming at her to keep going, stay patient, and she would soon get the much desired scoop that she craved for out of Kendra. If she could just get one small sign of a story out of Kendra that didn't involve magic, just one, she could definitely turn it into a juicy article. In all actuality though, the story wasn't of much importance to her at the moment; because once again, she felt that same magic energy from before and her stomach was doing flips again. Her suspicions about Kendra were growing more and more as the hours passed. The news reporter just couldn't help but think that there was something sinister about the transfer student…

* * *

><p>"So whassup?" Kendra asked Asuna, who was still holding Ayaka, as they leaned against the wall only a few meters away from the classroom door. There was sudden bang on the walls that sounded like it came from the classroom; the girls of 3-A really were panicking. Kendra and Asuna ignored it though.<p>

"What's up?" Asuna started angrily.

"What's up? What's up with that screwy magic you just did in there? Th-there was this green, flashy thing and the desk! It literally broke in two-"

"Why you so loud? You might wake up blondy." Kendra interrupted bluntly as she pointed at Ayaka. The class representative squirmed a little in Asuna's arms before snuggling closer to the red-head's body and then mumbled

"Monkey…so dead…" Asuna's face reddened in embarrassment as Kendra just silently stared at her; although Asuna could easily tell that the magic sensor's eyes were wordlessly ridiculing her.

"…Shut up." Asuna hissed under her breath.

"But I ain't say nothin-"

"You were thinking it!"

"You can't prove dat." Kendra countered, smiling inwardly at the fact that Asuna was obviously losing the argument.

"I don't need proof! Your eyes say everything!" Asuna yelled.

"Why're you still shoutin'?" Kendra asked innocently.

"I'm not shouting!" At this point, Asuna's heterochromatic eyes were flaring up with annoyance as her cheeks glowed crimson red. The class president shifted around in Asuna's arms again, this time letting out a disapproving moan.

"…Loud mouth…gorilla…" Asuna was about to retaliate but closed her mouth when realizing that arguing with a sleeping Ayaka would be just plain idiotic…even for her. In the end, a vein just pulsated on the angry girl's forehead. Kendra turned her face away from the two girls; steeling her emotions in place was a lot harder than she thought. How she wasn't rolling on the floor right now was a mystery in itself.

"Asuna-San? Kendra-San? What are you two doing in the hallways?" That familiar little boyish sound belonged to their homeroom teacher Negi, who was warily walking towards them. After reaching his students, the child wizard finally realized a passed out class representative in Asuna's arms.

"Eh? W-w-what happened to Ayaka-San?" Negi asked as his little arms waved around frantically. Asuna placed a hand on top of Negi's head to stop him from his panicked movements, all the while shifting Ayaka's body to holding her with one arm.

"Iincho passed out after seeing the little magic show" Asuna glared at Kendra, who just shrugged, and then looked back down at her teacher.

"That Kendra-San here put on. Luckily, the others in there were either already in Ala Alba or knew about magic; so that means I need you to just wipe out some of Ayaka-San's memories." Negi, who was struggling under Asuna's heavy hand, patiently absorbed in everything his roommate just said.

"Yes, I believe I can take care of Ayaka-San…but first, could you please remove you hand Asuna-San?" Negi whined. Asuna did what she was asked and then returned to holding Ayaka bridal style; it was a surprise that the blond wasn't awoken at all by all of the movement. Negi straightened out his green suit and then regained his composure as a teacher. He then turned his attention to Kendra, who was silently watching and leaning against the wall the entire time.

"Kendra-San"

"Yo" Kendra responded calmly.

"Once I have a quick talk with the class and take Ayaka-San to the nurse…I want to have a chat with you; in private." Negi ordered sternly. Kendra gave a head nod of agreement, _'whoa…he actually sounds pissed'_ the transfer student thought in amusement…

* * *

><p>"…deranged ape…" Ayaka mumbled once again, only this time, she was lying in a bed in the nurse's office. Asuna glared at the blond while sitting in a chair right next to Ayaka's bed.<p>

"When you wake up…you are so dead…" The red-head grumbled. The nurse's office was a modest sized room with practically everything inside of it the color white. There were two beds on opposite walls with a window above the headboard of Ayaka's bed. The sunlight that beamed through the window blinds lighted up the room to make it seem almost like an infirmary for angels; but the light rays were angled in a way that wouldn't disturb sleeping students. Negi, who was sitting in a chair on the other side of Ayaka's bed, crossed his arms and legs while tapping his fingers repeatedly. He never liked having to erase one of his student's memories…but he couldn't risk another innocent person to have their lives majorly affected by the challenges and future difficulties that came with magic.

Kendra was once again leaning against a wall on the other side of the room, secluding herself form the others. She focused intensely on Asuna and how she looked at Ayaka.

She analyzed the way the red-head's line of vision would start at the top of Ayaka's head and then trail down to the end of her blond curls. Then those different colored orbs would trace the outline of her class rep's jawline before carefully scanning Ayaka's pale cheeks. Finally, Asuna's eyes would stay glued to her delicate eyelashes, almost as if admiring their length and femininity. But all the while, as Asuna observed the sleeping girl, her face was scrunched up in annoyance. That didn't throw Kendra off though; she knew from personal experience that it was the eyes that defined the person, not their faces. The magic sensor smirked mischievously, _'found another pair~'_ This was almost starting to become a fun, life-sized word search for blossoming love in the dark skin girl's eyes…

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><p>Alright then, that's all for now and my hands are cramping! .<p>

So to put it in short, hope you enjoyed and please...

CLICK THE BLUE BUTTON. -.-


	17. Chapter 17

****Hey guys, sorry I took so long to update! :P I kinda had a small writer's block but everything's good now! I'm back in my smooth groove baby! XD

Disclaimer: I do not own Negima or any of it's characters

Now please, enjoy the chapter! :)

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><p><strong>Chapter 17<strong>

"What was that Kendra…"Zazie whispered to herself with her head rested in her hand. If the half demon wasn't already worried enough about Kendra, then seeing that force field definitely sent her in an emotional turmoil. She was angry, relieved and happy all at once. Zazie, obviously, was relieved to see that desk split in two and didn't harm the magic sensor. She was also relieved to see that Kendra didn't look angry at all; meaning that there was a chance she has forgiven Zazie about her jealousy; but she was angry. To put it more accurately, she felt pissed. It wasn't every day that Zazie Rainyday felt this upset, but today was a special occasion. She wasn't upset with Kendra, the half demon aimed all of that anger at Anima; she didn't like the looks of that force field and the color of Kendra's eyes. Anima was changing Kendra, Zazie's Kendra, and her demon possessive side was not pleased with that. Zazie didn't even bother to suppress a low growl from escaping her throat…and most of the 3-A girls didn't miss it either. The irritated half demon didn't care about the suspicious glances she got from her nearby classmates; not when she was feeling this angry.

Homeroom was still in session. A few minutes ago, Negi announced to his class that they had the rest of the period for free time and of course, he begged his students to keep the chaos at a minimum level. The girls laughed at Negi's accusations like it was ridiculous to think they would actually cause any chaos; the child wizard just sweat dropped and left for the nurse's office.

So here they are now, pure chaos. Not the normal chaos though; there wasn't the usual girly gossip, or juicy gossip from Haruna, there wasn't a fight breaking out over who would win Negi's affection; not that kind of chaos at all.

Nearly the entire class was formed into a large circle like they were arranged into a meeting and without Zazie's approval; she was somehow a part of this emergency conference. Obviously, the topic of this meeting was about Kendra. Evangeline leaned forward while clasping her hands together; giving off the feeling of a much older person than she appeared to be. Evangeline sighed before speaking

"All right, everyone! Quiet down-"

"How the hell can we quiet down? I knew Kendra-San was suspicious from day one!" Haruna suddenly shouted as she stood up from her seat. A vein pulsated on both Evangeline and Zazie's heads.

"Do not…interrupt me you damn cow…" The vampire growled while flashing her quite noticeable sharp teeth at the Otaku. Haruna paled and obeyed as she slowly sat back down.

"Now then, I know that everyone is shocked by what has happened today, but don't worry your screwy little heads about it. She's not an enemy, I'll tell you that right now." Evangeline looked around and saw a few girls with reluctant looks on their face. Setsuna saw this as well and decided to pitch in her opinions as well.

"Sh-she's right! I've gotten to know Kendra-San and she's a good person, as far as I know, she's on our side."

"Yeah, Secchan's right." Konoka said.

"Kendra-San is actually very funny and pleasant to be around." The mage princess smiled her bubbly smile like always but didn't notice the disbelieving looks everyone else had. Even Evangeline was staring at her like she's crazy, _'that's stretching it a bit Konochan; no one's going to believe that…'_ Setsuna thought as she sweat dropped. Konoka looked around at everyone in confusion.

"...What?"

"You're joking right?" Yuna interjected. She was known as 3-A's most mischievous basketball player but with a mostly laid-back and cool attitude. However, these are one of those times when that cool attitude would be pushed aside. Just like everyone else, Yuna was not sitting easy with that show Kendra put on earlier. Sure, she was aware of magic and everything, but Kendra's power was a new and slightly scary sight for her.

"Why would I joke about something like that?" Konoka asked Yuna; still not realizing that the others haven't got the chance to get to know Kendra like she has. Yuna sighed in exasperation.

"Let me tell you in detail, okay Konoka-San? That transfer student is creepy! Like no joke! She barely ever talks and stares people down like she's about to bite their heads off!" Most of the girls were nodding their heads in agreement or just listening in slight interest; except for Zazie. Yuna continued her ranting.

"She's way too calm to have the mental efficiency to actually crack a good joke! Okay, sure, so the first day she did that little seven joke; but that's just it!" Setsuna felt something sinister near her and it was growing by the second. She instinctively grabbed her Yuunagi and looked over; only for her eyes to come in contact with a seemingly calm Zazie. Setsuna tried to look somewhere else to figure out where that feeling was coming from but she didn't see it. Setsuna calmed down a little but still kept her hand on her trusty sword; she could still feel that viscous power growing somewhere nearby.

"I'm sorry Konoka-San, but I don't believe a word you say until I see for myself." Yuna finished.

"Ahem! Are we done now? I'd like to get back to business here!" Evangeline said as she glared at the basketball player. Yuna huffed and then laid back into her chair. Before she continued with the conference, the vampire noticed that Setsuna was holding onto her Yuunagi and that Mana was resting her hand on her favorite rifle. _'So I'm not the only one who feels it huh…'_ The loli vampire thought.

"So as I was saying," Evangeline started.

"Kendra-San is not an enemy. I know that you all are a little surprised by what she's done…but we have to look at the benefits of this."

"You mean making her a member of Ala Alba." Setsuna assumed, and she was right on the mark. Evangeline nodded.

"That's right, Kendra-San has very powerful abilities…and as much as I hate to admit it…her power could even rival with mine." There was long moment of stunned silence; most of the girls looked like they just saw a ghost's ghost. _'…Oh dear Kami…she's as strong as Evangeline-San?'_ Makie thought as she paled. _'…That's it, the world's doomed…There's actually another person who's as strong as this midget wackjob…dear Kami save us…'_ Yuna thought in despair. Evangeline smirked at everyone's reactions; feeling pleased that they felt so much dread from what they just heard.

"So with that said, we have to get Kendra-San to make a pactio with boyo." Evangeline concluded. A specific Otaku's glasses flashed evilly at the mention of a pactio, _'fu fu fu! Let the games begin-'_

"No" A voice that was just barely above a whisper pierced through the atmosphere. The girls including Evangeline looked around at each other to see who it was who declined the vampire's decision; but they all just shrugged their shoulders and said it wasn't them. Setsuna felt a chill go up her spine; the sinister aura was so intoxicating that it made the feathers on her back prickle. Mana realized the sudden increase in the mysterious energy and didn't hesitate to finally pull out her rifle and point it in the direction where that energy was emitting from. All of the girls felt their gasps get caught in their throats as the gunslinger pointed the barrel of her gun in between the eyes of a classmate.

Zazie stared indifferently at Mana who slowly loosened her handling on the trigger but still kept her finger there.

"…" Everyone was frozen where they were as they observed Mana and Zazie staring silently at each other; almost as if their orbs were wordlessly communicating. Actually, Evangeline was watching the situation in anticipation as if it was a suspense action movie. Finally, the gunslinger lowered her gun with a sigh and placed it back into her holster. Setsuna reluctantly sat back down in her chair as well while eyeing the tan demon suspiciously. Zazie took a deep, shaky breath; trying to calm her returning jealousy.

"No…Kendra is not making a pactio with…_him_." Zazie couldn't even bring herself to say Negi's name at the moment; if she did, her mind would automatically show her an image of Negi and Kendra forming a pactio. _'Whoa…Zazie-San's talking again, and she sounds kinda pissed!'_ The basketball player stared at the upset half demon in wonder. Evangeline sighed again and pinched the bridge of her nose, _'freakin' teenagers…I swear…'_

"Look, Zazie-San, I know you don't like the idea of Kendra-San kissing boyo. But you have to understand that she can be a huge benefit for Ala Alba. If we could just train her with magic and help her control…her powers…then there's no telling how powerful she can get. Right now, she's already at my level…without the training. Now just think about how she would be after just a little training…the results would be unimaginable…" The blood sucker reasoned calmly although she was quite irritated on the inside from Zazie's selfishness; but Evangeline shouldn't be one to talk when it comes to selfishness.

The girls looked at Zazie who was staring down at her desk; her bangs shadowing her face. The half demon bit her bottom lip to try to repress her illogical emotions and tried to think about this as calmly as possible. Zazie knew what Evangeline meant by 'her powers'; the mini vampire was talking about Anima. On one hand, if Kendra made a pactio and started learning how to control her powers better then there would be a chance that the magic sensor could conquer Anima and protect her conscious. On the other hand, Zazie could let her jealousy get the best of her, forbid Kendra from making the pactio, and let her mind spiral down into Anima's clutches…the answer was obvious. Zazie sighed at the realization and her selfish ways; she couldn't believe that she was about to put her lover's well-being second to what she wanted.

"Okay" Zazie looked up at Evangeline and stared her straight in the eyes.

"Kendra and Negi-San…should make the pactio…for both Ala Alba's and Kendra's sake." Setsuna inwardly sighed in relief when she felt that evil aura receding back into Zazie; Mana looked relieved too. She didn't have a problem with shooting someone right on the spot, but even she would've felt guilty if she had to shoot Zazie. It would've been like kicking a puppy…well a demon puppy, but it still would've been sad. Evangeline grinned at Zazie.

"Good, I think that's all for now…dismissed." With that, the girls began to move their desks back to their original spots. There were three girls who still weren't comfortable with the situation though. Yuna still didn't fully trust Kendra, Makie was mostly confused by the entire situation…and a specific bookworm was having conflicting feelings about this. _'…I think there's more to this than Evangeline-San is telling us…but what?'_ The girl nervously reached her hand into her skirt pocket and felt around the corners of her pactio card. _'Should I…no, that wouldn't be right.'_ She pulled her hand out of her pocket and sat down in her spot next to her best friend who was currently sipping on a box of caramel and carrot flavored juice…

* * *

><p><em>'Hey Anima, how come you didn't show me any more memories last night?'<em> Kendra asked inwardly. The magic sensor was currently sitting on a bench in the Mahora campus that was not too far away from the famous World Tree. It really did fascinate Kendra when she was brought out here to talk with Negi; she didn't see too many trees even close to that size back in South Carolina. Before they left the nurse's office, Negi asked Asuna to look over Ayaka and wait for her to wake up; it took some persuading, even though Kendra could tell that Asuna would've stayed anyways, but Asuna remained by the class rep's side. Negi was currently buying themselves some drinks from a nearby machine, so Kendra took this chance get a few quick answers out of the immortal.

'_**I just…did not have the time…'**_ Anima responded slowly. Kendra deadpanned at his response.

_'Dude…fo'real? Really? How stupid do you think I am? How could ya possibly not have any time on ya? Oh! Was it 'cause ya had to go get a perm to keep dat luscious green hair in check? Or maybe ya had to go pay for da light bill? Oh no, no, wait, ya had to work over-time at the 'HOW-TO-BE-A-POOR-LIAR' hotline-'_

'_**Shut up! Shut up, shut up, shut up! Thy's mouth runs fast than a giant two-legged chicken!'**_

_'…Ya mean ostrich-'_

'_**I call it a giant two-legged chicken!'**_ Kendra sighed impatiently.

_'Okay, fine! Just answer da damn question!'_ Kendra heard Anima grumble under his breath about 'thy's dirty tongue' and rolled her eyes.

'_**I do not follow a mortal's orders, I show thy's memories when I see fit-'**_

_'Ya mean when you're emotionally ready.'_ Kendra interrupted.

_**'…'**_ Anima was silent. Kendra smiled knowingly to herself; she knew that must've been why the Casanova was more silent than usual lately.

_'…Look, Anima. I know dat when dat vampire retold your life story dat it really hurt ya…but you have to understand dat I'm here…I know it might not make sense to ya, but it does to me. Like I said before…you deserve dis and you deserve hel-'_

'_**DO NOT SAY THAT! I DESPISE THOSE WORDS! I DO NOT DESERVE OR WANT THY'S HELP!'**_ Anima snapped angrily at magic sensor. The immortal couldn't stand this; the sense of déjà vu and pain that came with those words was too much to handle, even for an almighty being like him. In the spur of his anger, Anima shot a powerful jolt of energy to course through Kendra's body. The magic sensor collapsed to her side and held tightly onto the bench; her body throbbed from the painful after shock and shuttered in agony.

"W-w-w-what da f-fuck…A-Anima!" Kendra stuttered as she gritted her teeth to repress her shouts of aching pain. Minutes passed as Kendra received no more words from the troubled immortal and her substantial pain only faded a minor amount. It was enough for her to at least sit up and lean back into the bench though. Kendra's breathing was heavy and her limbs felt weak. She looked down at her body to realize that it was still trembling from shock. After a few moments of staring, Kendra weakly chuckled to herself.

"…I-I st-still think…dat you d-d-deserve…help."

"Kendra-San I got the drinks-What the, Kendra-San!" Negi started as he showed up with a can of soda in each hand but then broke out into a full sprint when he realized Kendra's condition. To the magic sensor, she thought she didn't look too bad; she was just trembling a little bit. But through another person's eyes; Kendra looked just plain miserable. She looked rigid and was trembling violently in all actuality, her face was scrunched up in poorly disguised pain, and she had a few streaks of tears slowly rolling down her face. Negi sat down next to the suffering transfer student and carefully placed a supporting hand on her back.

"Kendra-San, what happened to you? You look like you've been crying…and you're shaking." The child wizard asked worriedly. Kendra stared at the boy teacher in confusion and then wiped her cheeks; her eyes widened as she realized the wetness on her palm. She never even noticed that she was crying; it was probably because the pain was so intense that anything else that was happening to her body didn't even matter.

"Oh, uh…I'm fine teach. I probably got a head cold or somethin'…no big deal." Kendra lied while rubbing the back of her neck sheepishly; it was actually difficult to do such a simple gesture since her limbs were still aching in pain.

"…It was Anima again…wasn't it." Negi mumbled while looking away from Kendra in shame. It killed Negi inside to know that one of his students was suffering and he couldn't do anything about it. He was practically breaking the vow he made on his first day as 3-A's teacher. That vow was to always protect his students from whatever danger possible and to be the best teacher he could be. So seeing Kendra like this was heart breaking for the poor boy. Kendra noticed Negi's sorrow and sighed sadly at the sight before her, _'a kid his age shouldn' be makin' faces like dat.'_ The magic sensor wasn't exactly a fan of kids, but she did have a soft spot for sad children; she just couldn't take those tragic puppy eyes. Negi felt a hand slowly ruffle his hair, but he could easily feel the supporting affection behind it. He looked over at Kendra to see that she wasn't looking at the child wizard.

"Don' ya make dat face…a'ight? It looks weird on ya, smile like a kid for Christ's sake." Kendra scolded half-heartedly. Negi laughed at Kendra's unusual shyness and then smiled the brightest he could for the dark skin girl. Kendra smirked and then removed her hand from Negi's head.

"Okay," Kendra started.

"So I already know what you wanna talk 'bout and I'm sorry. I shouldn' have just used Anima's powers so recklessly like dat." Kendra held out her hand to Negi almost as if asking for something. Negi stared at her expecting hand and then quickly caught on; he handed her the cherry coke.

"Thank ya. So anyways, I know what I did was wrong…but I couldn' just let dat desk crack my head open like an egg, ya know?" Negi leaned back into the bench and took a sip of his sprite.

"Look, Kendra-San, I understand where you're coming from, I really do but…you have to understand that the results could've been much worse than what they were. What if it wasn't just Ayaka-San who saw you…what if Sakurako-San or Misa-San saw you? I would've had to erase their memories as well."

"I don' see da problem so far; all ya gotta do is erase their memories and den problem solved-"

"Erasing memories is a very dangerous process." Negi interrupted.

"If it's not done right, the spell could do serious damage to the human brain. That's why I really…hate it when I have to erase one of my student's memories…" Negi trailed off sadly. Kendra huffed and then stood up while scratching the side of her head; there goes her father's thinking pose again.

"A'ight, I get it…I'll try to hide Anima's powers from everyone. And what did I tell ya 'bout makin' dat face? Smile dammit." Kendra lightly smacked the back of Negi's head. The child wizard looked up at Kendra in shock while holding the back of his head but then felt his surprise strangely fade into comfort; the magic sensor gave one of the warmest smiles Negi has ever seen.

"H-hai" Negi squeaked and then stood up to dust his green suit.

"I think second block is about to start in a few minutes. You should be on time if you go now." Negi suggested. Kendra nodded and then turned away to begin walking to her second block but then stopped. Without turning back to face Negi she said over her shoulder

"I'm serious…don't waste your child hood and innocence over trivial matters that only an adult should worry about, you hear me? If I see you make those faces again, I'll smack you across the head again." Without giving Negi a chance to reply, Kendra left.

Negi stood rooted in his spot and stared at the magic sensor's retrieving image. He thought about what Kendra said and then realized something shocking. _'Kendra-San…didn't use any slang'_…

* * *

><p>"…You're gettin' better ya know. Dat almost felt satisfyin'." Deveron said in a slightly impressed tone while staring at his worn out lady companion. She smirked and then snaked her arms around his neck.<p>

"Well, anyone is bound to improve after a lot of practice, right?" Deveron laughed at her flirtatious words and then kissed her briefly. He then lied on his back next to her and then wrapped his arm around her waist. The woman in return circled both of her arms around his chest and nuzzled into the crook of his neck.

"How much longer do we wait until we give your friend the final blow?" She whispered against Deveron's neck. The dark skin boy laughed again only much more menacing this time.

"Be patient love. It'll be a lil while longer before we hit dat girl where it really hurts. I just have to let her hope keep buildin' and buildin' and den…I'll break her…she'll be more devastated dis way." Deveron explained as a sense of eagerness filled his entire being. He just couldn't wait until he could put his plan into action, to hear her voice crack with despair and spiral down into an emotionally withdrawn shell; it was going to be great.

"You know," The woman started as she propped herself up on an elbow; her white bangs lazily swinging from side to side.

"I still don't understand the point of causing her all this emotional pain. If it was me…I'd rather just cut her head off and get it over with." She smiled wickedly at the thought of being able to cut off another human's head; it's been a long time since she had.

"No worries." Deveron traced his fingers along the woman's facial features and then rested it along her arm.

"You'll see what I'm up to soon enough…I promise you. Within a month, we will both get our revenge." His eyes glowed red once again as he sneered at the thought of his long time enemy; nothing was going to stop him from being able to finally settle the score with that man.

"…I absolutely love those eyes." The white-haired woman said as she stared dazedly at Deveron's crimson orbs. They both shared mutual smirks and then began to lean in for another brief and ill motivated kiss…

* * *

><p>Kendra felt another chill go up her spine but tried her best to ignore it. <em>'Man, I've been gettin' dat a lot lately.'<em> Kendra thought suspiciously. She was currently listening to a lecture in her math class; the magic sensor wasn't paying any attention though. She never worried about math since it was her strongest subject; plus, she already over went over this stuff in her school back at South Carolina. So Kendra decided to entertain herself by trying to balance a pencil on her upper lip. It wasn't very characteristic of Kendra, but even she had a childish side that she let out every now and again. She was just about to successfully balance the pencil when a hand suddenly slammed down on her desk. It was her math teacher, Mr. Sudoku, and he and his shiny little head did not look pleased. Kendra scoffed inwardly at the sight, _'is he tryin' to be intimidatin' or somethin'? ...I wonder if he uses Windex to make his head dat shiny.'_

"Is there a problem sensei?" Kendra asked blandly. A vein pulsated on Mr. Sudoku's head as he heard Kendra's indifferent attitude.

"Yes, there is a problem, Guinyard-San. Just because you just transferred to Japan a few days ago doesn't mean it gives you the right to slack off in my class!" Kendra sighed; she's heard this lecture a million times too many.

"Uh huh…" Kendra responded. Mr. Sudoku leaned down so that his eyes were leveled with Kendra's. The magic sensor stared right back; he was challenging her, she couldn't just back down from a challenge. She was once again acting just like her father.

"Pay attention to the lesson…Guinyard-San." He said Kendra's name with venom tingeing his voice. _'Bring it on bitch.'_ Kendra thought.

"What do ya mean Mr. Sudoku? I am payin' attention." She shot back.

"Oh really? Then how about you tell me how the figure out the length of this leg on the right triangle here?" Kendra sighed and then rolled her eyes. She inhaled and then said in one breath

"Since it's a right triangle and has a given 29 degree angle and a leg measured as 5 you can use the sine, cosine, tangent; you use that leg and the adjacent for the equation tangent 29 equals X over 5; then you multiply 5 times tangent 29 in your calculator." Mr. Sudoku's jaw dropped along with the entire class staring at her in shock.

"And then ya get ya answer." Kendra finished. Her math teacher scoffed at Kendra and then walked over to his board to solve the problem himself. After finishing he turned around and looked at Kendra who was currently entering the equation into her calculator. She held it up for Mr. Sudoku to see; he compared their answers and felt a triumphant grin spread across his face.

"It seems that you are wrong Guinyard-San. Your answer is off by 1.74." Without saying a word Kendra stood from her seat, walked over to the board and looked over her teacher's work. After a few moments of looking, it took everything Kendra had not to laugh at his simple mistake.

"Uh, teach…look here." She turned to face Mr. Sudoku and pointed at the given angle on his poorly drawn triangle.

"What?" He asked as he narrowed his eyes in aggravation at the persistent girl.

"Your poor handwritin' made da angle look like it was 39 degrees instead of 29…you slipped up man."

"What? Move over, let me see!" Kendra happily obliged and watched in amusement as Mr. Sudoku became paler and paler as he redid the problem. There was a long moment of silence until it was broken by a rather loud gulp from the bald math teacher.

"…c-correct…" He whispered under his breath. Other students began to quietly laugh at their teaching being showed up by an American transfer student. Kendra leaned in closer to Mr. Sudoku and then smirked mischievously.

"What was dat? I didn' hear ya." Mr. Sudoku grumbled under his breath but then cleared his throat and stood up straight to try and regain some of his dignity.

"I said that you are correct, Guinyard-San. You may go sit down now."

"Ah, okay." Kendra replied bluntly. _'I win~ You lose~ Now don't you pout~ Don't be sad~ Now here's some Windex~ Go wipe your head~'_ the magic sensor sung this over and over in her head for the rest of second block while still trying to balance that same pencil on her upper lip…

* * *

><p>Lunch time came around and Kendra wasn't very excited about it. She was hungry and everything but there were two major problems. One, she wasn't very accustomed to Japanese cuisine and two; she didn't know too many people yet. She was planning on eating with Zazie but she didn't see her enter yet. Then she thought about sitting with Setsuna and her friends, but then she remembered that she would immediately get into an argument with Asuna. Kendra really wasn't in the mood for that. So she just leaned against the cafeteria wall; looking around and trying to find a decent place to sit.<p>

Seated at a nearby table were none other than Haruna and two other friends enjoying their social time. The Otaku's single standing strand of hair began to twitch; it sensed Kendra's presence. The perverted manga artist's eyes began to sparkle as she looked about and spotted her target. Kendra realized her stare was locked on her and slowly began to pace away and out of her sight. It was no use though; Haruna's eyes kept following her. Once she was locked onto a prey, the Otaku would never let go. One of Haruna's friends realized her sudden change in behavior and then asked shyly

"U-um, Haruna-San, what are you looking at?" Without breaking eye contact with the agitated magic sensor she replied

"I found our target Nodoka! I'm going to do all that is in my power to make her perform the pactio with Negi!" The artist declared passionately; this is about kissing a ten year old boy, so of course Haruna would be over zealous about this. _'Jesus! What is wit dis girl?'_ Kendra thought irritably as she continued to try and walk out of Haruna's tracking eyes. After a few more evasive moves and ducks, Kendra gave up with a loud sigh and then casually made her way towards their table.

The shy bookworm noticed this and immediately felt her legs under the table tremble. Kendra wasn't exactly wearing the happiest expression right now and she looked even scarier as she came closer. Without asking permission, Kendra literally slammed her tray onto the table, dropped down in a spot next to Haruna, and glared at the Otaku.

"A'ight why da hell was ya starin' at me just now?" Kendra tried to ask as calmly as possible but failing when all the girls could easily hear the anger in her voice. Haruna grinned widely and then wrapped an arm around Kendra's shoulders.

"Awww. Who wouldn't stare at you? You're just so cute over there trying to act all cool when you're actually shy and had nowhere to sit-"

"You don' know me, I don't know you. So why's ya arm 'round me?" Kendra asked bluntly although she was fuming on the inside; she really didn't like it when someone other than Zazie invaded her personal space.

"Now, now, calm down Kendra!" _'Where da hell is da honorifics? I don' know dis…dis somethin'! I'm not sure what it is!'_ The magic sensor thought angrily.

"We don't want to make a scene. I actually want to seriously talk to you for a moment." Haruna said as her face suddenly turned serious and she was looking from side to side like a crack dealer. Kendra rolled her eyes and then looked to her right. Haruna's two friends, Nodoka Miyazaki and Yue Ayase, were just silently watching the amused Otaku and annoyed magic sensor. The dark skin girl immediately noticed a few things about these two girls.

One girl had long purple bangs that covered most of her face and seemed to be trembling in, what Kendra assumed, to be fear. The other girl was pretty short with a bland and bored expression while sipping on a box of juice. Also, this girl's juice actually said grape potato flavored; Kendra wasn't exactly grossed out but maybe a little curious. Plus, she figured this would be a good way to distract herself from the nuisance still hanging around her neck.

"Yo" Kendra greeted simply. Yue's eyebrows raised a little, a bit surprised that 3-A's mysterious and nonsocial student would even bother noticing them. Nodoka, on the other hand, felt like she wanted to pass out then and there. Just listening to the magic sensor's voice was scary; it held no emotions, but there was an intimidating edge to it.

"Er…hey, Guinyard-San." Yue responded slowly, not exactly sure what 'yo' meant.

"Just call me Kendra, I hate da sound of my last name wit honorifics…it makes me feel old." Kendra once again grimaced on the inside from hearing that formal name. Nodoka and Yue stared at Kendra in confusion, _'…are we actually having a conversation with her?'_ They both wondered.

"Okay…K-Kendra-San" Nodoka squeaked; finally speaking up ever since Kendra arrived. The magic sensor then slowly raised her hand towards the shy bookworm.

Nodoka quickly felt panic growing in her chest and jumped when the magic sensor's hand softly landed on her head. She squeezed her eyes closed in fear and then waited…and waited…and she didn't feel what she expected.

The shy librarian slowly opened her eyes and felt them widen even more as Kendra's hand tenderly ruffled her head.

"See? Dat wasn't so bad, now was it? I can see ya tremblin' from all da way from over here, relax…a'ight?" _'Geez…does everyone think I'm some kinda monster or somethin'?'_ Kendra thought and felt a little saddened at the fact that a girl that looked so innocent was so afraid of her. Nodoka blinked a few times in confusion as Kendra retracted her hand and then looked over at a just as equally shocked Yue.

"Now it's your turn." Kendra said as she cracked a tiny smirk at the unique juice drinker.

"Eh?" Yue muttered. Her eyes shifted between Kendra, Nodoka, and then to Haruna; who was still hanging on Kendra's neck and watching the occurring scene in mild interest.

"Go ahead, it's easy." The magic sensor encouraged flatly.

"U-um…Kendra-San…" Yue trailed off uncomfortably. Kendra's smirk grew and then leaned over the table to ruffle Yue's head as well, _'I can't help but think dat these two remind me of fluffy and cute pets…wait…what am I thinkin' 'bout?'_ Kendra thought as she leaned back into her seat.

"There, it's nice to meet ya two…I believe ya guy's names are…Nodoka-San and Yue-San…right?" The two girls simply nodded as they were too puzzled to respond with words. Haruna pretended to pout innocently at Kendra.

"Hey, don't ignore me. I want attention too!" The transfer student reluctantly looked into the manga artist's eyes and felt devastated. The puppy eyes; Haruna was using the puppy eyes. _'Dammit! She knows how to use dat too?'_ She felt like she wanted to die from the unfairness of the situation. Kendra sighed and then nodded.

"Fine, what?" Haruna's peculiar hair strand stood straight in excitement, now she could finally put her plan into action.

"What you did back in homeroom today was pretty cool-maybe a little scary-but mostly everyone accepts you-"

"You mean Ala Alba." Kendra interrupted.

"Yeah, Ala Al-You know about Ala Alba?" Haruna shouted; her eyes bulging out of their sockets. Kendra held up a finger over her smirking lips.

"I might not have been here long…but I do know dat dis Ala Alba thing is a secret…and you're practically shoutin' 'bout it." Kendra nodded her head in the direction of the table next to theirs. Haruna, Nodoka and Yue looked over and realized that almost half of the entire cafeteria was staring at them. Nodoka stuttered out an apology while blushing deeply, Yue just did a simple little bow of pardon, and Haruna scratched the back of her head while grinning sheepishly. _'Interestin' group'_ Kendra thought. Haruna then turned her attention back to the magic sensor and then lowered her head as if it would make her sound quieter.

"Right, but um…so you already know about Ala-Alba."

"Yep" Kendra said as she started picking through her food; she wasn't sure what she was looking at.

"Good, good, then this'll make things easier…have you learned what a pactio is-"

"Oh for the mother of Jesus Christ…" The magic sensor sighed and then face palmed. _'It dat all dat everyone ever talks 'bout?'_

"Yeah…I know what it is…and I was plannin' on doin' it."

"REALLY? That's great!" Haruna nearly jumped up in her seat as she brought the magic sensor into a huge bear hug.

"Heel girl…" The magic sensor muttered as she pried the overexcited Otaku off of her. Haruna was bouncing in her seat while her sparkling eyes burned a hole into Kendra.

"…Like I was sayin'…I was plannin' on doin' it, but I'm not so sure now." Haruna abruptly stopped bouncing and her face went stoic. Kendra stared at Haruna in amusement and then waved a hand in front of her face; Haruna didn't react. The magic sensor couldn't help but chuckle at the hyperactive girl and looked over at Nodoka and Yue.

"Uh…I think your friend here is broken-"

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU'RE NOT SO SURE?" Haruna suddenly exploded. Kendra cringed from outburst; the Otaku screamed right in the poor girl's ear. Other students once again began to stare at the energetic manga artist but Haruna just ignored them.

"Sorry if I ain't clear enough." Kendra started; holding her ear in pain.

"I mean dat I wanted to do da pactio at first…but things got complicated and….well, I don' think it's even an option right now."

"WHO GIVES A RAT'S ASS ABOUT THAT? THIS COULD BE AN OPPURTUNITY AT BLOSSIMING LOVE BETWEEN A TEACHER AND HIS FELLOW STUDENT! THE ROMANCE, THE SACRAFICES, THE TABOO OF SUCH A RELATIONSHIP-"

"Yeah I'm gonna stop ya right there." Kendra interrupted.

"Now I got three things to say." The magic sensor held up three fingers.

"One, people are starin' again." She dropped the ring finger.

"Two, I can't see how y'all have gotten' used to dis." She dropped the middle finger while staring at Nodoka and Yue. Yue and Nodoka just shrugged; it took some time, but they eventually learned to cope with Haruna's passion for these kinds of things.

"And three…there ain't gonna be any blossomin' love between me and dat lil kid, a'ight?" She drops her final finger. With her hand now formed into a fist, she slowly raised it and gently bonked Haruna on the head.

"So calm down. Your little hair thing is twitchin' and it's creepy…ya kinda remind me of a crack head."

"Pweas?" Haruna begged in the cutest voice and puppy eyes she could muster while unconsciously fixing her bent strand of hair.

"No" Kendra declined sharply, _'sorry, but puppy eyes come second to what my Zazie wants…'_ Before Haruna could protest any farther, a hand timidly tapped Kendra's shoulder. The magic sensor turned around and then felt her chest warm up immediately with relief and delight.

It was Zazie; holding a tray of food and showcasing that usual blank look. Without thinking twice, Kendra stood up with her own tray and then cracked a small smile at the half demon. Zazie didn't smile back, but Kendra knew that Zazie was still happy to see her.

"A'ight y'all, it was great talkin' to…some of you. But Imma 'bout to bouce, holla." Kendra casually held Zazie's hand in her own and then led her away from the table. The half demon blushed at the public affection but she didn't complain about it either.

Haruna, Nodoka and Yue stared at the two retrieving lovers and each one of them had different thoughts. _'It's not over yet Kendra…you will make that pactio.'_ Haruna thought as she stroked her chin like a cheesy villain. _'I guess they really are together…'_ Nodoka concluded. _'What does imma 'bout to bounce holla mean?'_ Yue wondered; it probably wasn't possible, but she will go to Library Island when she gets the chance to translate what the magic sensor just said…

* * *

><p>"What the hell was Haruna-San shouting about?" Asuna wondered as she stared at the Otaku a few tables away; he suspiciously had a conniving look on her face.<p>

"Well…it's Haruna-San after all, so it's probably not too bad…hopefully." Setsuna said as she also glanced over at 3-A's infamous perverted artist. Konoka watched as Kendra and Zazie walked out of the cafeteria, hand in hand. The mage princess smiled and then turned to her swordswoman to sneak a small peck to her cheek. Obviously, Setsuna became flustered in under a second.

"K-K-K-Konochan?" Konoka giggled at her blushing guardian and then nodded her head in the half demon and magic sensor's direction.

"I just couldn't help it after seeing those two. They're just so cute…but not as cute as my Secchan~!" Konoka glomped Setsuna and nuzzled their cheeks; this resulted in the swordswoman blushing even darker. _'If one day I die from excessive blood flow to my head because of Konochan…I'll die a happy Hanyou.'_ Setsuna wasn't joking either, it always felt like she was on cloud nine when her Ojou-Sama tackle hugs her like this.

"Oi! Be all cuddly later, some people are trying to eat here." Asuna grumbled. Konoka stared worriedly at the upset red-head.

"What's wrong Asuna-San? You usually don't mind when we do this…and you already ate all of your food anyways."

"I-I was going to get seconds!" Asuna stuttered as a light blush stained her cheeks. Both Setsuna and Konoka smiled knowingly at their agitated roommate.

"Aw, it's okay Asuna-San. You'll find someone to love soon." Setsuna teased, and she was enjoying it even more when their suspicions were confirmed by Asuna's blush growing darker.

"B-baka! It's not like that!" The embarrassed red-head shot back.

"Why don't you ask out Iincho? You guys seem to get along prett-"

"No! No way! Nadda! Zip!" Asuna interrupted frantically.

"How the hell could I go out with that up tight, stuck up pedophile?" Konoka just shook her head at her friend's dishonesty with herself as Setsuna wrapped an arm around Konoka's waist.

"It's not such a ridiculous idea Asuna-San. At least think about it." Setsuna suggested as Konoka leaned onto her and rested her head on the Hanyou's shoulder.

"W-whatever…" Asuna stared at her empty tray and pouted childishly.

"…bakas…that Ayaka-San too…they're all bakas." She whispered under her breath…

* * *

><p>"A'ight" Kendra said as she finally let go of Zazie's hand and turned to face her. The magic sensor had leaded the confused half demon to the school building's roof top. The setting wasn't exactly the kind you would find in a corny romance novel. There wasn't a pleasant baby blue sky with comforting white clouds drifting along and the wind flowing gently in the atmosphere.<p>

Instead, the sky was a very light shade of gray thanks to the rain clouds slowly forming. The wind barely blew strong enough for their uniform skirts to ruffle. The half demon placed her tray down; she wasn't hungry at the moment. Once finally allowing her bored façade to break; Zazie was now wearing a small frown instead and stared down at the concrete floor that collected so much debris and dust over these years.

This didn't go unnoticed by Kendra who frowned as well and then also placed her tray on the rubble covered surface. She took Zazie's chin in her hand and then lifted the half demon's face to look her in the eyes.

"Babe…what's wrong?" Zazie tried not to look into those warm hazel eyes and just moved away from the magic sensor's hand.

"I-I'm sorry…" She whispered weakly. Now Kendra was really worried; wondering if she's done something to upset her girlfriend.

"Why're ya sorry? There's nothin' to be sorry 'bout." Kendra said as she took two steps closer to the tattooed girl.

"Yesterday…" Zazie started; still not looking at Kendra.

"…What I did was stupid…and wrong." Kendra's eyebrows furrowed.

"Wh-what're you-"

"I shouldn't have acted like that…I was a selfish idiot. You only wanted to do that pactio so you could get control over Anima and I…I-I just…I'm sorry." A few droplets escaped Zazie's guilty eyes. She tried in vain to wipe them away only for the tears to start falling faster. There it was. She finally did it; the one thing that has been driving her up the wall ever since yesterday. Zazie finally told her loved one how selfish she was; how idiotic she was for placing Kendra's safety second to what she wanted. Now she could only wait for the magic sensor to belittle and scold her for trying to put her life at risk like that. Of course, Zazie wasn't ready for this. She could never be ready to hear such things from the girl she loved for nearly a decade; but she had to face it.

"You idiot…" Kendra muttered angrily. Her hands tightened into fists and shook with fury. Kendra stomped over to a still sobbing Zazie and then grabbed her wrist to remove a hand from the half demon's face.

"Hey…" Kendra whispered quietly. Zazie didn't respond and just continued to cry uncontrollably.

"Hey! Look…at me, now!" The tattooed demon tensed up at Kendra's authoritative voice and then slowly looked up at her. A sob suddenly got caught in her throat from the surprise of what she saw.

Kendra had the most hurt look on her face; like she was actually stabbed through the heart with a knife. Tears were also steadily rolling down her cheeks and streaking her face; the magic sensor appeared so unbearably wounded. Zazie swallowed the lump in her throat and then felt her lips quiver in awe and despair, _'Kendra…do you really hate me now? Oh Kami, please no…'_

"Kendra-"Zazie then felt her toes curl and the hairs on the back of her neck stand from a familiar and extremely missed sensation; Kendra's lips on her own. As if running on instinct, Zazie wrapped her arms around Kendra's neck and pressed her lips more firmly against Kendra's. Kendra did the same while snaking her arms around the half demon's waist.

This action confused Zazie; she could've sworn Kendra was upset with her and felt hurt by her selfish actions. However ,she didn't have any more time to think about that because she felt Kendra gently nip her bottom lip; just barely grazing over where her scab used to be. Zazie gasped at the unusual gesture by reflex and gave Kendra an opening. The magic sensor quickly slipped her tongue into Zazie's mouth and began to search for Zazie's own. Once it finally brushed against Zazie's tongue, the half demon felt her knees wobble from the feeling. This was only their second time French kissing; so the sensation still sent her into a state of shock that she would never want to end. Zazie tried to keep up with Kendra's surprisingly talented tongue, but she was quickly being dominated and soon felt a drop of wetness plop onto her head.

That plop was followed by another, and then another…and another. A light shower gently began to pelt onto the two girls with their lips still locked. The rain didn't get any heavier, but it didn't lighten up either. Both girls just continued to embrace each other as the crying heavens surrounded them with the pleasant downpour; almost as if admiring the beauty and purity of the feelings put behind this universal show of affection.

It was hard, really hard, in fact, difficult for Kendra to pull away from such blissful and passionate caresses, but she knew she had to set things straight with her troubled tan demon.

Zazie felt like she was flying. She could believe it too since she lost all feeling except for the areas that Kendra would stroke so tenderly. A line of nerves in her arm would tingle in response to the magic sensor's finger tracing little patterns along her shoulders and all the way up to her cheeks. Suddenly though, she felt her wings, both demon and imagined, fold in from the lack of warmth on her lips and then fell back to solid ground. The tattooed demon let out of groan of disappointment absentmindedly. Kendra smiled warmly at the still dazed Zazie.

"Zazie…you really are an idiot…if you actually think that way about yourself." Kendra pecked Zazie's forehead, her nose, and then her cheeks. This only confused Zazie even more.

"…Look, I could never be upset with you over something as little as jealousy. To me, it shows how much you truly care about me, and that makes me feel so happy." Kendra rested her forehead against Zazie's; their skins slick from the calm drizzle.

"Remember what I told you on the first day we met? I never regretted meeting you because you made me feel like I matter…The way you reacted because there was a chance of me kissing another person; it reminded me why I fell in love with you in the first place." The two girls stared silently into each other's eyes; hazel eyes brimming with warmth and brown eyes shimmering with unshed tears of joy.

"S-so you're not…mad?" Zazie asked shyly as her blush finally started to show up again. Kendra laughed as her usual innocence finally returned; a sign that her beloved half demon was feeling emotionally better.

"Of course not…in fact, I think it's kind of hot." The magic sensor grinned broadly when Zazie's blush turned crimson. Now things were back to the normal routine, the way things should be between them. Before Kendra could tease anymore, the five minute warning bell ranged through the Mahora campus. Kendra sighed as she leaned away from Zazie and then held out her hand.

"We should probably get goin'. Don' wanna be late for third block." Zazie smiled for the first time today and gladly grabbed the offered hand. As they dashed off from the rooftop with their clothes soaked and hearts relieved; two trays of food were ruined and left a mushy mess from the forces of Mother Nature. But who would remember it after being so entranced by the rain that draws them...

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><p>Okay, first off...AWWWW! I really do like writing those two together! So yeah, I putted my entire heart and soul into this chapter! And also, Kendra's acting a little more open now...coincidence? Sure, whatever you wanna think...<p>

So please, CLICK THE BLUE BUTTON. -.-


	18. Chapter 18

Ugh...dear mother of god! =_=

I stayed up till 6:30 in the morning working on this chapter and now I'm about ready to collapse!

So yeah, here's the fruits of my labor...I hope you enjoy.

Disclaimer: I do not own Negima or any of its characters.

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><p><strong>Chapter 18<strong>

Zazie Rainyday, a very relieved and still dazed half demon, was currently making her way towards her third block class. The bell for the beginning of third block already rang thirty minutes ago; so she had to make a quick stop at the office to receive a pass and then change into dry sweats at the nurse's office. Kendra had to do the same as well but they had to split up after that since Kendra had a different third block. As she continued walking, the tan demon began to reminisce about the kiss they just shared on the rooftop. The way Kendra held and spoke so gently to her, _'that kiss was so…'_ Steam began to fume from Zazie's face. There go those lewd thoughts again, _'…geez, I think I need help.'_ Zazie thought as she tried to push away those inappropriate images in her head.

It really did confuse Zazie why she had such thoughts about Kendra so much. She did know that if you're in a relationship, then you're bound to have sexual feelings towards your partner. But Zazie and Kendra have only been going out for a few days; that didn't sit right with the half demon. There were two reasons that she could draw from this.

One reason could be that her demon side was starting to affect her physically and sending her hormones into over-drive. Scientifically speaking, her demon side has already hit puberty and is ready for breeding at any moment, but Zazie never had to deal with that since she never had feelings for anyone else. That is…until Kendra showed up in her life again. That thought kind of scared Zazie, she didn't want Kendra to think that her mind was only set on the sexual aspects of their relationship; she really wanted to be with Kendra for more reasons than that.

The second reason could be that she actually had these feelings stored away for Kendra but never acknowledged them until Kendra moved to Japan. Zazie has known Kendra for years, so the familiarity between them is pretty good and they already have a strong bond of friendship. The tattooed girl really hoped that the second reason was the case. She could deal with the fact that she just wanted a higher level in their relationship since she's known the magic sensor for so long. It was the whole animalistic lust part that she didn't want to accept.

After finally setting her thoughts straight, Zazie realized that she had passed her third block class by three doors. The tan demon's cheeks flushed a light shade of pink in embarrassment and then slowly trotted backwards. She stopped at the correct door, readjusted her sweat jacket collar, and then took a deep breath before slowly sliding the door open. No one ever knew, but ever since Kendra arrived, Zazie would have to take a deep breath before going in public so that she could get her straight face back in order…

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><p><em>'Well…glad dat everything's good between us. Now I just gotta make dat pactio…'<em> Kendra was casually walking her way to her third block class; her arms folded behind her head and sporting the same sweat outfit as her beloved half demon.

The magic sensor was still worried about Zazie though; she seemed happy from what Kendra said, but Kendra wasn't so sure. She knew that the tattooed girl would sometimes blow things out of proportion and even believe that she shouldn't be forgiven. Kendra sighed at that; she really wished that Zazie didn't lower herself like that. _'She seriously has to understand dat it'll take a lot more dan jealousy to get me angry at her…and besides…angry Zazie is hot.'_ The magic sensor had a mischievous smirk plastered on her face.

That's when an interesting thought dawned on her. _'Hmmm, dat might not be a bad idea…and if I get Setsuna and Asuna to help…oh hell yeah! This gonna be off da chain!'_ Kendra thought excitedly. It would take a lot of persuasion and maybe a little manipulation, but she was going to do everything in her might to see this through.

After a few more minutes of a scheming Kendra walking down the hallways, she finally saw her third block room number come into view. The magic sensor sighed again, her third block was History; she wasn't bad at this subject or anything, in fact, Kendra makes A's and B's in all of her classes. It's just that she didn't see the point in learning this and believe that when teachers say 'learn this and you won't repeat history' is a load of, _'bullshit…'_ With great disinclination and annoyance, Kendra slid the door open while unconsciously adjusting her sweat jacket collar; that thing was a little tight…

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><p>Third and fourth block flew by for Zazie and she was currently waiting in the hallways for Kendra. It surprised Zazie at first, but Kendra insisted that she walked her back to her dorm and made it clear that she wanted to do this while holding hands. The magic sensor really was set on expressing their affections for each other in public; it sometimes made Zazie envious at how the transfer student could be so laid back about this. <em>'She's not ignorant about other people's opinions when it comes to our kind of relationship either.'<em> The tattooed girl thought. She wasn't going to complain about it though; Zazie knew that this was coming as soon as she openly kissed Kendra during Anima's first appearance in front of her classmates and teacher.

The tan demon looked down one side of the hall and didn't see Kendra and then looked the other way; still no Kendra. Zazie sighed and then leaned back to rest against the wall. After another ten minutes of waiting, Zazie started to feel a dull pull of anxiety in the pit of her stomach. She knew all too well that she was just worrying too much, but then again, Kendra wasn't exactly a normal girl. So the thought of someone attacking her for the magic sensor's immense power wasn't that far off from a ridiculous idea.

Lost in her thoughts and not paying attention to her surroundings; Zazie didn't even realize a specific southern girl creeping up next to her with a tiny grin on her face. _'She's worryin' 'bout me…so cute.'_ Kendra thought as a small bubbly feeling welled up in her from seeing how frantic her lover was acting.

Being as sneaky as possible, Kendra reached her arm around Zazie's waist and then abruptly pulled Zazie against her; the half demon's back pressed to the magic sensor's front. This action, undoubtedly, made the tattooed demon yelp in surprise and by instinct, swing her arm back to elbow the mysterious person behind her.

Zazie's arm was caught by the wrist however; a dark skin toned hand holding it in a gentle yet firm grip. Zazie immediately realized who that hand belonged to and then blushed in embarrassment; but before she could turn around to greet her girlfriend, Kendra delivered a lingering kiss to Zazie's flustered cheek. That only helped to deepen Zazie's blush. The magic sensor then slowly released her wrist and wrapped that same arm around Zazie's waist. With now both of Kendra's arms around the flustered demon's waist, Zazie slowly relaxed into her embrace.

"Heel girl, there's no need to get feisty on me," Kendra chuckled and then whispered huskily into her ear.

"…we can do dat later…in my room…" _'And she'll steam up in three…two…one…'_ Zazie's face once again began to simmer in steam; Kendra inwardly celebrated in triumph. The magic sensor just loved getting her shy demon so worked up and it always managed to give Kendra a boost to brighten up her day. Kendra laughed at her flabbergasted girlfriend as Zazie failed miserably to form words. The magic sensor then released Zazie and then took hold of Zazie's hand.

"A'ight, dat's enough teasin' for now. Let's go." Kendra tugged her along, maybe even a little forcefully and began walking in a brisk pace. Zazie nodded as she inwardly tried to fight off lewd thoughts fresh from Kendra's teasing, _'I am not an animal in heat, I am not an animal in heat, I am not an animal in heat.'_ Zazie repeated this in her head over and over again in hopes that it would calm down her frazzled hormones. Luckily, she was shown mercy as her bodily demands lessened after a seventh repetition. Zazie mentally sighed in relief and then looked over at Kendra. The magic sensor didn't seem to notice Zazie's episode and only looked the same she always has while in public; emotionless. Zazie regained her blank mask as well after secretly taking a deep breath.

The walk so far was pleasant. The two girls were already trotting across the campus grounds and heading towards the dorm building. It really did surprise Zazie, but so far, they didn't run into any criticizing girls who would openly discriminate against their relationship. _'Wow…I guess Mahora is a lot more laid back than I thought-'_

"Zazie" Kendra whispered as she slightly tightened her grip on Zazie's hand. The tan demon, whose thoughts were stopped dead in their tracks, turned her attention to the magic sensor.

"I thought dat dis wouldn't be much of a problem at first…but now they're startin' to follow us…" Kendra suddenly had a scowl on her face, earning a confused stare from Zazie.

"Eh? Kendra…what're you talking about?"

"Don' look back okay, but there're a group of girls dat's been followin' us ever since I came to your classroom…and they don' look friendly either." Something in the tan demon's mind clicked, she did wonder why Kendra abruptly began to tug her away from the school halls…Kendra didn't feel comfortable around those suspicious girls and now she was right for feeling that way. Zazie obeyed Kendra and didn't turn around, but that didn't stop her from being curious.

"W-What do you think they want?

"I'm not sure…but I know it ain't nothin' good. Just keep walkin' and pretend like ya don' notice 'em." Zazie's eyes gleamed in understanding as she squeezed Kendra's hand back. So the walk continued, only of course with a more intense atmosphere that the two tried to cover up as they pretended to happily chat about random things.

The group of girls didn't let up though; to be more specific, it was three girls and they all had smug looks on their face. They also didn't do anything to try and disguise the fact that they were following them and not so quietly whispering nasty comments about Kendra and Zazie. The magic sensor managed to keep a cool head though, as much as she wanted to just go over there and punch those ugly grins off their faces, she didn't want to get expelled from school, especially if she hasn't even attended Mahora for a month yet. Plus, Kendra's reputation in the school, thanks to the gossip spreading like wildfire, was already bad as it is.

_'Damn…life can' be easy can it? If I could just go over there and bitch slap one of 'em, then everythin' would be fine. But no, I'll look like da freakin' bad guy!'_ Kendra flexed her free hand, trying to fight off the urge to punch something. Zazie's thoughts were on an entirely different goal though. She didn't care about how to get rid of those girls; she was wondering how she was going to keep those girls from ending up mortally wounded.

All she had to do was glimpse in Kendra's direction and could easily tell that the magic sensor was ready to snap. From a normal student's point of view, Kendra looked like she was bored and emotionless as always, but Zazie could easily see through it. The way Kendra's free hand would flex every time the girls giggled, the way her footsteps became slower and jerkier from trying to keep her emotions in check, and how she was forcing her breathing rate to be normal instead of puffing in anger. They were all subtle signs that others wouldn't notice, but Zazie saw right through Kendra's valiant efforts; they were in vain though.

"Look at them, makes me wanna puke…how can they show their faces in public like that?" One of the girls commented while purposefully saying it loud enough for the magic sensor and half demon to hear. Kendra's grip on Zazie's hand tightened; they were almost at the dorms entrance and all Kendra had to do was hold out for a little bit longer.

"Don't they know that they'll go to hell? So disgusting…" There goes another comment which resulted in Kendra biting down on her bottom lip. Zazie winced slightly at the amount of pressure on her hand and then slowly tugged Kendra's sleeve. The magic sensor understood the gesture and forced herself to relax as she eased up on her gripping force.

"It's okay, don't listen to them." Zazie whispered encouragingly.

"Y-yeah, I'm fine. It's just dat…if they say anythin' 'bout you-"

"What the hell is up with that Zazie girl anyways? I mean, she's such a creepy freak, especially at that stupid Nightmare Carnival of hers." Kendra's nostrils flared with boiling anger, _'those mutha fuckas betta not be talkin' 'bout my baby!'_

'_**Why does thy hold back?'**_ Anima suddenly shouted; his voice oozing with frustration towards the magic sensor.

_'Why da hell would you care anyways?'_ Kendra snapped angrily at the immortal. It might've been a bit unfair to aim all of that anger towards Anima, but she didn't want to let out all of her frustration through her fists either.

'_**Those girls sicken me to no end! They're just like those little demons that abused thy years ago!'**_

_'And again, I ask, why da fuck do you care?'_ Anima growled deeply in response to Kendra who just mentally sneered back.

'_**Thy cares about me! So why can't I care about thy?'**_ Kendra felt her breath get caught in her throat, her current anger nearly vanishing for a millisecond. Anima immediately realized his slip up and then quickly added

'_**Th-thy's emotional and physical being must be exceptional if I have to live in it! That's all! I…I don't care about thy! None whatsoever!'**_

_'…Anima… do you-'_

"Kendra" Zazie said urgently as she tugged on Kendra's sleeve again. Kendra blinked a couple times before staring down at a suddenly nervous Zazie in bewilderment.

"What, what's wrong…ah man…" The magic sensor slowly trailed off in distaste as she looked in front of them. It seems the three girls weren't satisfied with just stalking and insulting them. They all stood in front of the two girls, their arms crossed and smugly eyeing them up. _'You have got to be fuckin' kiddin' me! I don' wanna get expelled yet!'_ Kendra shouted in her mind. The tallest of the girls, who had short brown hair and freckles across her cheeks, took a commanding step towards the couple.

"Hey, you two!" The brunette started; specifically glaring at the magic sensor. Kendra only stood her ground and glared back as well; she could tell that yet another person was challenging her today.

"How the hell do you two have the balls to act like that in front of other people? It baffles me; being all lovey-dovey with a girl; and with this white-haired freak to make it even worse!"

"I don' understand." Kendra started calmly as she released Zazie's hand and stood protectively in front of her.

"I don' see no white-haired freaks…just me, Zazie, and three ignorant girls." The two girls behind the brunette scoffed in fake surprise at Kendra's response.

"Ohhh, so you can talk? What a relief! For a second there, I thought there would be another Zazie walking around here. We wouldn't want that, now would we?" The brunette said conceitedly. The magic sensor felt something in her heart burn at that comment; this girl seemed to be ridiculing Zazie in specific. Kendra wasn't going to stand for this for too much longer though.

'_**What is thy doing?'**_ Anima shouted again.

'_**Show these loathsome monstrosities real justice! Break her! Make her beg for mercy!'**_

_'Anima…trust me…I would absolutely love to do dat…but I can't-'_

'_**Let thy's restraint go! Attack them!'**_

_'No! I can handle dis wit'out your help! Look…I'm glad you care so much but-'_

'_**I do not care about thy! I will not repeat myself child!'**_ Kendra sighed inwardly in exasperation.

_'…Whatever…I still won' listen…and by da way…thy child's name is Kendra.'_

'_**Arrogant!'**_ Anima growled.

"What's wrong dyke? Cat's got ya tongue?" The brunette yelled, snapping Kendra out of her thoughts once again and leaving a dangerous feeling bubbling in her chest.

"…what…" The magic sensor said gravely; she wanted to believe that she didn't hear what she just heard, but Kendra could've sworn that the freckled girl just called her-

"Speak up dyke! Don't just up and lose your nerve now! If ya can't take a few truthful words then you're in for a whole lot of trouble for the rest of your time here, that I can promise for both you and your little slut over there-"

"DON'T…call Zazie a slut! And DON'T call me a dyke!" Kendra spat in poorly concealed fury as her hands once again tightened into fists. That dangerous feeling in her chest was burning even hotter…

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><p>'<em><strong>Yes child! That's it! Let thy's hot blood flow freely through thy's veins!'<strong>_ The green-haired Casanova shouted eagerly; wanting more than anything to make Kendra fall under his influence. To see her finally crumble into his power and lose control over her mind; that's what the armored immortal longed so much for…right?

Anima felt his actually immortal soul rock to the core from that; did he really just hesitate with the thought of obtaining his obvious goal? The one thing that his soul still lives on for, to continue wallowing in the indulging yet unfulfilling accomplishment of eliminating corrupt lives. So why the hesitance? Why does he feel the uncertainty all of a sudden? He felt nothing for Kendra; no sympathy or worry for her whatsoever…right?

Anima's soul wavered again; he was devastated.

'…_**no…'**_ The shocked immortal mumbled feebly. This couldn't possibly be happening to him. Kendra was no exception to him; she was just like all of his other hosts that he's had over the last four hundred years. So what made her so special is what Anima wondered desperately; what was it about that hard-headed girl with a dirty tongue that made the armored Casanova's heart sting with foreign feelings.

'_**N-no…I can't be going soft for…for this dirty mouthed and lowly peasant! I can't!'**_ Anima shouted to himself in rage as he held his head in his illusionary hands; almost as if believing that if he just forcefully squeezed these absurd thoughts out of his mind, then everything would go back to the way it used to be. He could go back to being the same egotistical, prideful, and almighty undead presence that he was so familiar with; the way that he has to be…

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><p>Kendra, who was still glaring viciously at those same three girls; momentarily felt an odd emptiness appear in the pit of her heart. It did nothing to quell her anger, but it still left an unusual lingering sensation that sent a tremble to vibrate through the magic sensor's body. Kendra knew this feeling all too easily, she felt it so many times back when she lived her lonely years in South Carolina. But she was confused about why she felt it now.<p>

Crushed; the feeling that was just a step below despair and this only baffled the magic sensor even more. But she couldn't worry about that right now; not when she had to deal with these smutty girls in front of her.

"Oh? Fine, we won't call you a dyke, just a fuckin' lesbo! Is that any better? The perfect label for you whores, especially your little bitch over there!" One of the two back up girls said as she received a low five from the impressed brunette. Kendra, however, was not impressed; her sneer was enough evidence for that.

"You know…" Kendra started as she slowly rolled up her sleeves; to hell with self-control. These girls were obliviously over stepping their boundaries and were trotting over dangerous territory.

"I think it's 'bout time I set somethin' straight to y'all." The magic sensor could take brutal name calling any day of her life, she's been through years of it, but they've insulted Zazie way too many times…

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><p>Kazumi was walking through the campus grounds with her mind deep in her thoughts. Two important things were clouding the journalist's mind; that was her suspicions about Kendra…and the possibilities of having Negi help her find an immortality spell. <em>'If I was immortal, then maybe I could be with Sayo…but that still wouldn't solve the whole touching problem.'<em> The news reporter sighed to herself in defeat. She's been running any solution she could've think of through her mind for this whole Sayo situation and could never come up with anything; and she's been doing this for two months now, so it's pretty fair for her to feel at least a little frustrated.

Her suspicions about a specific magic sensor weren't easing her mind either. She knew there was more to Kendra's power than what Evangeline was leading on. As much as it pains Kazumi to do this, she'll have to push the completion of her article aside for now and focus on uncovering Kendra's secrets.

The journalist continued to walk at a calm pace as she contemplated over how to exactly do that without Kendra catching her. Kazumi could tell that Kendra wasn't as easily tricked as her classmates; so she'll have to put more thought into her spying tactics. Before the news reporter could come up with anything, her perceptive eyes were snared on a very interesting sight.

She saw Kendra, who looked like she was currently rolling up her sleeves, Zazie, and three other girls. Now Kazumi, who had experience in even reporting articles about school fights and managed to snag great pictures, could easily tell that there was nothing but killing intent in the air with a hint of anxiety. Kazumi knew for sure that the anxiety wasn't from Kendra, hell, that transfer student looked ready to shove her foot up someone's Gluteus Maximus!

A wide grin crept across the journalist's face and then slowly pulled out her handy digital camera. She knew she just told herself to push the whole article thing aside for another time, but this was an opportunity that only a fool would pass up…

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><p>Kazumi wasn't the only one who noticed the soon would be fight; a large crowd of middle school students began to surround Kendra and the others. The magic sensor groaned inwardly at this, <em>'damn…I've attracted attention. Now I'll definitely at least get suspended if I do dis…I'll have to make them throw da first punch. Yeah, I think dat'll work.'<em>

Zazie's already given up on trying to stop Kendra; once she saw the fire in the magic sensor's hazel eyes and how she rolled up her sleeves; she knew she shouldn't even waste her breath. Plus, as much as felt ashamed to admit it, these girls were starting to get on her bad side. So, the half demon just slowly trotted backwards into the crowd and gave herself a front row view; silently praying that Kendra wouldn't hurt the bullies too bad.

"It's funny." Kendra said simply. The tall brunette skeptically raised an eyebrow at the magic sensor.

"What, funny that you're just realizing how you're banging a slut on the weekends?"

"Nah, I meant y'all's faces and da fact dat I'm even wastin' my time lookin' at 'em." The brunette's eyes narrowed.

"What"

"What? Ya never noticed? I mean, ya got freckles right here, Urkel on ya left and then well…I'm not sure what that is on ya right, but I suggest ya call animal control before it starts humpin' ya leg there." Scattered giggles and chuckles surged from the surrounding students; some of them even resounded loudly in amusement at Kendra's comeback and began shouting comments of their own.

"You just gonna take that Shintaki-San?" One random girl yelled.

"Yeah Urkel, show her that four eyed power is nothing to joke with!" Another student shouted behind her laughter. The one girl who went by Urkel was not laughing though, neither were her other two comrades either. The other girl who was referred to as 'it' felt the vein on her forehead pulsating and the freckled brunette's cheeks flare up red in fury. Kendra smirked at this; provoking these girls seemed to be easier than she thought.

The brown haired girl named Shintaki clenched her fist tightly, _'dat's right. Take da bait.'_ The magic sensor thought.

"You fucking…" The angry brunette grumbled as her fist trembled from the tension building in her. The magic sensor smirked even wider.

"Oh? It looks like I hit a nerve. Come on, why're ya just standin' there? Come at me, I know ya wanna! Or are y'all just actually punk ass chumps who can't throw a punch?" Kendra was actually starting to have fun. The girls seemed ready to blow just from listening to her insults that it almost made it seem like this was enough and the magic sensor wouldn't have to use her fists after all. But the magic sensor wasn't going to try and fool herself in believing that she didn't want to at least give one of these girls a proper beat down.

"Shintaki-San" Kendra said, referring to the infuriated brunette.

"I can see from here dat you're just itchin' to hit me, so why ya just standin' there?" The magic sensor then raised her hand to the tall brunette and then made a beckoning gesture to her the same way someone would call over their pet.

"Here bitchy, bitchy~…come on girl." That was the last straw.

"THAT'S IT! DON'T START CRYING ONCE I'M DONE WITH YOUR ASS!" Shintaki finally snapped at the magic sensor and then charged with her two companions behind her. The crowd around them erupted in an excited roar; ready to see the handicapped fight of one against three. Also, Kendra's reputation for a cold, scary lone-wolf only helped to heighten the school girls' exhilaration.

Kendra didn't even bother dropping down into a fighting stance, she could tell just by how the girls were carrying themselves how sloppy their fighting style probably is.

"Here we go." Kazumi whispered excitedly as she held up her camera and prepared to snap headliner pictures for her next article.

The brunette reached Kendra first and swung a right hook for the face. Kendra swiftly ducked and spun around the brunette. She then landed a sharp elbow strike to her spine, paralyzing the brunette for a short second. The magic sensor took this advantage to turn to her left and lean back from an uppercut connecting with her chin.

It was Urkel girl, looking more pissed than ever. She soon started throwing a flurry of left and rights at Kendra and became frustrated as none of them landed. But Kendra was soon backed into a thick wall of students. The glasses girl quickly made a dive for Kendra's midsection and tried to tackle her to the ground. Kendra was quickly forced back even farther and the crowd scrambled out of their way.

Kendra though stopped the girl's advancements by spreading her legs slightly apart and sprawling the takedown; a small cloud of debris forming at her feet digging into the ground. The Urkel girl struggled to break Kendra's leg strength and soon felt her grip around Kendra's waist weakening. Kendra felt this as well and immediately grabbed her opponent's shoulders. She then roughly shoved the girl off of her for just enough space to grab her head firmly.

The glasses girl soon realized what she was trying to do and managed to block a knee to her face just in time. The knee blow left her hands numb in pain though and couldn't block the second one too well. Kendra kneed a third time to her face, making full contact, and then delivered a fourth to her stomach.

Ukel girl collapsed to her knees as she felt the wind get knocked out of her from that last strike and one of her lenses cracked. Kendra was about to send a punt kick straight for the fallen girl's abdomen but felt it get kicked away. The magic sensor's eyes caught a glimpse of someone's foot aiming for her side and quickly jumped back.

The brunette stood protectively in front of her wheezing friend; hissing slightly in pain from her aching back and her leg trembling from kicking Kendra's unexpectedly sturdy leg away. Kendra didn't care about that though; she knew that something was off. _'Wait, there's someone missin-'_

The magic sensor then received a harsh tackle from behind her by the third girl and was affectively knocked down. The brunette was about to jump in as well but then stopped and stared in shock. Upon impact on the ground, Kendra then rapidly flipped herself and the other girl and gave herself the top position. She then started pounding swift punches to the girl's head. Animal control girl tried her best to block the blows, but the sheer power behind it broke her defenses.

Twenty, thirty, forty…the brunette wasn't sure how many strikes Kendra managed to land in those few seconds.

Somehow though, the third girl was lucky enough to scramble from under Kendra and only give the magic sensor a side control advantage. Kendra didn't waste time to start rising her leg high in the air and land powerful knees to her foe's side. Kendra managed to land three more side hits before the brunette finally jumped in. She pulled the magic sensor by the arms and away from the coughing girl who was holding her side in pain.

Kendra, without looking back, kicked backwards and made contact with the brunette's chest. The freckled girl grunted in pain but didn't let go. Kendra kicked her again but she still didn't let go. The magic sensor sneered in irritation but then realized that glasses girl was advancing on her. Urkel girl tried to strike Kendra in the stomach while the magic sensor's arms were still pinned.

Kendra waited just for the right moment and then lifted both of her legs in the air and kicked the spectacles girl. Kendra's right foot made contact with the girl's left cheek and her left one crushed into Urkel girl's ribs. She stumbled back in surprise and pain from the kangaroo kick but held herself together.

The brunette gaped at this but then quickly shook it off as she tried to tighten her hold on Kendra's arms. The magic sensor smirked and then did the same kangaroo kick, but backwards, to the tall brunette. The freckled girl's eyes widened; she couldn't protect herself from the kick with her arms since they're already occupied and couldn't do nothing as she felt her diaphragm nearly flatten from the blow. The freckled girl flew back nearly ten feet and landed harshly on her back as Kendra landed firmly to the ground on her hands and feet.

The magic sensor quickly jumped to her feet and for the first time since the fight started, dropped down into her fighting stance. Her right foot stood firmly in front as the commanding orientation, her right hand slowly swinging just below her right hip, like a sniper waiting to strike, and her left hand in a fist that was positioned just a few inches above her left collar bone. It was time to take this seriously; these girls were actually lasting longer than those thugs she ran into back downtown.

The third girl finally recovered from Kendra's knee strikes and stood in front of her with her own stance as well. Urkel girl stood to the right of her injured friend in support even though her face was twitching from the swelling on her left cheek.

So now it was two against one, at least that's what Kendra assumed. The freckled brunette was still wallowing in pain a few feet behind her, so the magic sensor figured she was down for the count. Kendra looked at the two still standing girls and realized their hesitance. Neither girl dared to make a move until Kendra did. It seems they've finally learned that Kendra wasn't an amateur when it came to fighting. The magic sensor looked perfectly unharmed and yet they already had bruises and cuts all over their body and faces.

The crowd went deathly silent as the three girls stared each other down and stood rock still. The only thoughts that ran through the surrounding students' minds were how lucky they were to watch an amazing fight for this long. Usually, a teacher would've been broke up this fight a whole fifteen maybe ten minutes ago, but none have arrived yet.

Suddenly, much to everyone's slight fright, Kendra jerked at the two girls and then exploded into a full sprint. This caught the two girls off guard and left them slightly panicking. Kendra smirked inwardly, that's just what she wanted. Urkel girl, who wasn't ready for the sudden change of pace, just forced a brave face and held her ground. Animal control girl did the same and prepared herself for the magic sensor's next attack. But, both of the girls didn't expect to see Kendra jump practically five feet in the air preparing to deliver a heavy kick in Urkel girl's direction.

The glasses girl folded her arms into a guard to protect her head from the kick…but the only thing she felt was a millisecond rush of wind ruffle her right side. Her eyes widened, Kendra wasn't intending to kick her; it was a trick.

Urkel girl quickly turned around in time to see Kendra rising from her landing position and a right fist coming straight for her face. Time seemed to slow down as the glasses girl desperately tried to throw a left punch of her own and hopefully throw Kendra's punch off course.

Unfortunately for Urkel girl, Kendra's fist reached first and made crushing contact with her left cheek and cutting open her bruise. The force behind the punch spun the girl around and sent her glasses flying off into the crowd somewhere. She collapsed to the ground, finally down for good and a small river of crimson liquid slowly gushing from her cheek.

Animal control girl's eyes looked like white saucer plates as she witnessed the condition her last comrade was in. She grinded her teeth in anger and decided to throw strategy to the wind. She reeled her arm back and with an ear splitting cry of rage, threw a right haymaker at the magic sensor.

PAK!

The sound echoed through the few meters of campus ground that the crowd of students withheld and rocked each one of them to the core. It was obvious that the girl put everything she had into that punch but more importantly than that…it landed. The infuriated girl slowly cracked open her eyes, not remembering when she even closed them, and cautiously looked at where her fist made contact.

Her fist was embedded deep into Kendra's cheek and the magic sensor's head actually reeled back a bit from the impact. Animal control girl felt a small ray of hope shining down on her but then felt it disappear when she heard someone laughing softly.

It was Kendra. She turned back around to face the stunned girl with a glimpse of slight surprise in her eyes.

"Wow…dat actually stung a lil. I praise ya for da effort, but" Kendra raised her right fist at the still shell shocked girl.

"It wasn' enough." She delivered a devastating punch to the girl's face and a crunch could be heard from the impact; that crunch was from her nose. Animal control girl's eyes rolled into the back of her head as she slowly fell backwards to the ground.

Kendra exhaled in relief and then examined her knuckles. They seemed sorer than Kendra would've thought; she was probably still a little rusty since she hadn't had to actually go all out in a fight for a while now. The magic sensor didn't seem to notice the tense atmosphere floating around in the crowd.

To say that everyone was stunned was an understatement. Also, this didn't do anything to quell some Japanese students' fears about how brutish Americans can be. Kendra just heightened their suspicions by ten folds. But most girls just looked at Kendra like she was a valiant warrior that just took on a whole army on her own and came out unscathed. When in all reality, she just took on the Mahora middle school section's most ruthless and obnoxious group of bullies. Even Zazie was breathless from what she just saw; she's already seen Kendra fight before, but it still felt amazing to watch it unfold before her.

Kazumi felt like she wanted to just burst out into a corny and badly attempted happy dance. She's finally, after nearly a week of researching with no luck, gotten a huge scoop on Mahora's famous and mysterious transfer student. Combining that with the now obvious fact that Kendra and Zazie were most likely together, Kazumi was going to have a lot of fun writing that report. With all those money shots of the fight she was able to snap too, this was bound to be one of her best articles yet.

Finally, Kendra looked away from her aching hands and at the numerous stunned faces. She stared indifferently at them and they just stared back. Kendra suspected that everyone would think that she was just some barbarian who only brought violence over to their peaceful home. She knew this, and prepared herself for the ridicule and shouts of insults. She was used to being shunned and labeled an outcast anyways; Kendra could thank those kids back in South Carolina for that one.

Very much to the magic sensor's surprise, the crowd broke out in an almighty cheer and rushed in to bombard the girl with praise.

"That was so awesome!" One girl squealed excitedly.

"Dude, that was so badass! She punched you so hard and you took it like it was nothing!" Another girl shouted in awe.

"Shintaki-San had it coming anyways!"

"Yeah! She's been bullying us for years!"

"You were so cool!" The compliments just kept coming and coming; and Kendra was very uncomfortable. She didn't expect this at all. She expected everyone to hate her, but instead, everyone loved her and she didn't know what to do. The magic sensor tried as politely as possible to thank everyone for their kind words as she looked around for her beloved half demon. Soon enough, she spotted Zazie amongst the bustling crowd and grabbed onto her wrist. After gently yet firmly yanking Zazie out of the suffocating sea of bodies, she saw something she didn't expect to see.

At first, Zazie's face showed admiration and gratefulness beyond compare, but it then shifted to frantic terror. Kendra also noticed that everyone else's eyes were wide with fear as well; the magic sensor became even more confused until she looked deeply into the tan demon's brown orbs. She saw a small speck of light and then realized it was shining from the reflection of a blade…and that blade was in a vengeful Shintaki's hand.

Kendra, who ran on gut instinct, spun around to knock the butterfly knife out of the brunette's grasp; she was right when she figured that the freckled girl would aim for her neck. Then, with the momentum she still had from the spin combined with the building anger she still had towards the girl, her fist and Shintaki's cheek collided in a punishing clean hook.

A thin stream of saliva shot from the bully's mouth as she conclusively tumbled to the ground in complete and definite defeat.

Kendra let out a rushed breath of relief, she was used to fights, but being near a knife was a different story. She had never been so grateful towards her gut instinct, if she wasn't right, then her neck would've been gushing blood right now.

The crowd didn't erupt into a cheer like last time. No one would feel glee from just now witnessing an attempted murder. Zazie, who was trembling from the shock of seeing her girlfriend come so close to dying, pulled Kendra in to a death grip hug. Kendra didn't fight back either; she understood how the tattooed girl felt and just hugged back. Everyone stayed silent as they savored this moment, some still digesting what they just saw and others indulging in Kendra and Zazie openly showing affection for each other. A few students could've sworn they heard a camera click and someone mumbling about how she'll feel guilty later about doing this during such an inappropriate time, but they just ignored it for the time being.

Soon though, the melancholy silence was broken by a gruff, loud and authoritative voice.

"What's going on out here? Move aside, move aside…let me through!" _'Damn…here comes da part I've been dreadin'…'_ Kendra thought bitterly.

A grown man with a finely trimmed five o'clock shadow and looked to be in his mid-thirties emerged from the pack of students. He wore a pair of glasses that gave him an elegant yet cool aura and adorned a smoke grey suit with a crimson red tie decorated in thin, diagonal white stripes. His black dress shoes clacked against the solid dirt ground that echoed through Mahora's peaceful air which only stacked onto his overwhelming presence.

Takahata looked around and noticed three severely injured girls who were all knocked unconscious. Then he noticed a butterfly knife lying a few meters away and finally, he noticed Kendra and Zazie standing in the center of the three fallen girls.

The middle aged man's eyes slightly widened at this. He's had to break up fights in the school before, but it wasn't every day that he see's someone so beaten up or for Zazie to be involved in it for that matter. Takahata cleared his throat before demanding calmly.

"Zazie-San…I think it's pretty obvious what transpired here…but I'll need you and.."

"Kendra" The magic sensor said. Takahata nodded.

"Kendra-San here…to report to the headmaster's office immediately while I get these girls to the nurse's office." He then spun around to face the crowd of girls who haven't already left the scene.

"If anyone here wants to provide information as to what happened here and pose as a witness, then I suggest that you go along with them! If not, please go on and leave this area now!" The last few girls were reluctant at first, but they eventually left for wherever it was they were going; except for one girl.

Takahata smiled gently at her and slowly walked up to the remaining girl.

"So I'm figuring you would like to be our witness miss…"

"…Stormy…" The girl mumbled shyly. The white-haired man blinked once in response but immediately shook off his surprise; besides, Stormy wasn't exactly the most common Japanese name. But after taking a second glance at this girl, she probably wasn't of full Japanese blood.

She was of average height and had shoulder length brownish-red hair. Her emerald eyes had a soft natural shine to them but her entrancing orbs were always downcast from what the teacher assumed to be shyness. Her round face and skin tone were given signs that she had some Japanese in her; but her hair and eye color gave off a European resemblance. With the two cultures of appearance clashing over her features, she was in all truth, a cute girl with this soft hint of natural beauty. Judging from her meek attitude, she was probable a year or two below Kendra and Zazie.

"So, Stormy-San, are you sure you want to hold this responsibility? You don't have to if you don't want to." Takahata said soothingly; anyone's tone would go soft after seeing this girl

"Y-yes…I'm sure, Takahata-Sensei." Stormy responded meekly.

"Well then" He waved an arm in the magic sensor and half demon's direction.

"Just follow along right behind them to the dean's office." Stormy nodded once and then nervously made her way over to the two girls. She spared a glance at Kendra and then immediately paled; she was even scarier up close, just like what the others said. Stormy fought down her fear and then bowed at the couple.

"H-hello, Guinyard-San, Rainyday-San. I'll be s-serving as your witness to the f-fight. Don't worry…I'll m-make sure that the dean knows th-that it was Shintaki-San who actually s-started the fight and drew a weapon…" Stormy stuttered and then awaited a reply from the campus's currently second famous couple, the first being Setsuna and Konoka, but she only received silence. Stormy gulped; was it something that she said?

"Ya name's Stomry, right?" Kendra suddenly spoke up. The shy brunette swiftly stood from her bow.

"Y-yes."

"Okay, Stormy-San, do me two favors."

"Yes"

"Call me Kendra, not Guinyard-San. I hate formalities."

"Yes"

"And quit bein' so stiff; there ain't nothin' to be scared 'bout."

"Yes" Kendra sighed; she just told this girl to relax didn't she? Stormy soon realized what she did and quickly tried to fix her mistake.

"I-I mean um…th-that ain't no sweat with…me…(?)" Stormy was as red as a tomato at this point; acting cool really wasn't one of her expertise. Kendra and Zazie stared blankly at the blushing girl for a few seconds before Kendra just shrugged nonchalantly.

"Eh, dat'll work. Let's hurry up and go to da dean's office. Come on Stormy-San."

"H-hai Kendra-San" The bashful underclassmen responded; feeling a little awkward from dropping the formalities between them so quickly…

* * *

><p>If people were to see Kazumi running through the hallways and holding the camera to her for dear life, they would've thought she was the goblet who finally obtained his 'precious' ring. In a sense, that was how the news reporter felt. She finally got her precious pictures and her precious story for her precious article. That wasn't the only thing she was ecstatic about; with the news article finally out of the way, she can focus more on figuring out what Kendra, Zazie, and Evangeline are hiding from everyone in Ala-Alba.<p>

That's when Kazumi abruptly halted in her tracks; she never even came up with a proper plan on how to exactly uncover these secrets. She wanted to use a different method too, one that she hasn't tried yet. Kazumi then felt a shiver go up her spine when a specific idea came to her mind.

She actually thought about going out of her way to ask someone to help her with her info gathering. The only people she's ever had help with her work is Haruna and Sayo; and that's it. The journalist was actually very egotistical when it came to her articles and it only damaged her pride when she asked for help on her articles or scavenging for information.

But this was a completely different situation. She wasn't just figuring something out like a secret crush, or the real culprit of pulling some big prank; this was revealing the secrets behind a mysterious person who's power rivals with 3-A's Evangeline A.K. McDowell. So as much as Kazumi hated to admit it, she had to suck it up like a big girl and get someone's help; but who?

Just then, Sayo slowly appeared next to the wondering paparazzi and greeted her pleasantly like always.

"Hey Kazumi-San."

"…" Kazumi, who was still deep in her thoughts, didn't respond to her ghostly companion. Sayo tried again.

"Kazumi-San?" Still nothing. The ghost girl's cheeks puffed out as she pouted at the reporter for ignoring her. She decided to give it one more try, this time taking a deep and long breath.

"KAZUMI-SAN!"

"Gah! W-wha! Don't take my precious! It's mine!" Kazumi shouted desperately as she protectively held her camera close to her chest. Sayo and Kazumi stared at each other in silence; gray and amused orbs locked onto shocked brown ones.

Suddenly, they both broke out into hysterical laughter.

"W-what's…up with the…whole p-precious thing?" Sayo gasped between her giggles. Kazumi's giggling fits weren't any calmer than Sayo's.

"I…I-I don't know…either Sayo, I don't know!"

"Kami, I didn't know you even watched 'The Lord of the Rings'…" Sayo mumbled as her laughing subsided and her breathing returned to a calm pace.

"Says the girl who's a fan of 'The Three Stooges'!" Kazumi countered as she wiped a few tears from the corner of her eye.

"What? You can never mess with the classics." The ghost girl defended and then sighed in contentment.

"But seriously though Kazumi-San, what's wrong? You were pretty deep in thought just now. Is it something you wanna talk about?"

"Well~" Kazumi started out happily as she held up her camera and smiled widely at her best friend.

"For one, I finally got my big story on Kendra-San!" Kazumi said excitedly as she awaited Sayo to reply the way she expected and even hoped. The journalist was right too; Sayo's childish demeanor nearly doubled as she cheered optimistically for her friend's accomplishment.

"Really? That's great Kazumi! You've finally got your story!"

"I know right? Finally, after all that I've-"Both girls simultaneously stopped what they were doing and then blushed a deep crimson red. Sayo just said Kazumi's name…without the honorifics. The journalist gulped, quite audibly too, and then muttered after a long pause.

"You know, um…y-you can drop the honorifics for my name. O-only if you want to. I mean, I always call you Sayo, s-so it's only fair that you can call me Kazumi…and stuff…" The nervous red-head's blush became redder and redder as each word escaped her lips.

Sayo's blush wasn't any better either; even though she complained before about how pale her blushes looked compared to a live human's, there was no defiance is saying that she looked like a lit cherry lamp.

"U-um…you were about to tell me w-what was bothering you?" Sayo stuttered; quickly changing the subject. Kazumi's shoulders slumped a little; she felt both relieved and dejected from her best friend's response but took it in stride in anyways.

"Well…I-I was wondering over who I could ask for help…in revealing Kendra's secrets. I think Evangeline-San and Zazie-San know more than they're telling us. And now that I'm actually thinking about it…Setsuna-San and Konoka-San may even have something to do with this too." Sayo thoughtfully put her finger to her chin; her blush nearly gone now but still leaving a rosy pink glow staining her cheeks.

"Hmm, you've got a point there. I did also have my suspicions about that…hey. What about Nodoka-San?" Sayo suggested. The zealous news reporter's eyes suddenly lit up with renewed vigor. _'Of course! Nodoka-San's pactio card gives her the power to read minds! Why didn't I think of this sooner?'_

"Sayo, you're a freakin' genius!" Kazumi exclaimed ecstatically; restraining herself from hugging the girl because that would not only make her look like an idiot but would also remind her of the bitter truth. Sayo blushed again from the sudden praise.

"I don't know about being a genius-"

"Oh stop being so modest!" Kazumi interrupted as she flashed a cheeky smile.

"Now, let's head on over and give good old Nodoka-San a visit! Ne?" The blushing soul nodded happily and started floating along Kazumi's side.

"…And um…about what you offered just now…sure. From now on, I'll call you Kazumi." Sayo muttered shyly as she avoided eye contact with the news reporter. Kazumi stared wide eyed at her undead companion as another blush flared up across her cheeks. There was something about the way Kazumi's name sounded coming out of Sayo's mouth. Her name and Sayo's voice…it was like a match made in heaven.

Kazumi kept her eyes glued ahead of her and then whispered under her breath.

"…sounds amazing…"

"What was that Kazumi?" Sayo asked innocently.

"N-nothing…nothing at all." Kazumi replied nervously…

* * *

><p>Okay, that's all for now. I actually wanted to put a lot more into this chapter but figured it was long enough and that I was ready to get some sleep...so uh, yeah...<p>

CLICK THE BLUE BUTTON. -.-


	19. Chapter 19

Hey guys! I'm back now with Chapter 19! Yayyyy! So, this chapter turned out MUCH longer than I first planned but that's okay! X)

Disclaimer: I do not own Negima or any of its characters

Now please, enjoy the chapter! :)

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 19<strong>

Headmaster Konoe hunched over in his desk and rubbed his forehead tiredly. He scanned over the nurse's written damage report._ 'These injuries are pretty severe…and to think that that child did this.'_ The elder man looked up at the said girl standing a few feet in front of him.

Kendra could feel the disappointed stare on her. She really did hate this; having to face principals at her school and wait for the verdict on her punishment. A teacher's punishment didn't mean a thing to her, but a headmaster was a completely different story.

The magic sensor was used to it though; she had to go through this multiple times back in South Carolina. Whenever she would come into the classroom with a bruise or injury on her; her teachers would send her straight to the nurse and then the office. The same thing for when she started to get into fights and protect herself from bullies. Kendra wasn't grateful to them for that though, far from it actually, because she knew those teachers never showed sympathy for her.

They saw her as the problem child with good grades. The way her teachers would avoid any eye contact or involvement with her just to keep her out of their hair. So Kendra knew; they never sent her to the nurse because they cared, they sent her away just to get rid of her for any amount of time possible. _'They never even knew what I was goin' through.'_ The magic sensor thought spitefully.

"It says on here that Shintaki-San has considerably severe bruises on her face, middle back, abdomen, and leg." Headmaster Konoe's voice echoed throughout his spacious office, but the voice was far away to Kendra. The magic sensor was too swept up in her memories; picking through all the times that a teacher had done her wrong. How they never cared that she was going through hell all those pitiful and lonely years.

"Then it says that Koyoko-San has a broken nose, multiple bruises on her face and on the side of her abdomen." _'Kendra did a lot more damage than I thought…'_ Zazie thought in surprise as she stood next to the thoughtful magic sensor. The tattooed girl glanced over at Kendra to realize that she wasn't even paying attention. Her eyes were void of life and were downcast to the carpeted floor; almost as if Kendra's mind was somewhere else. Zazie wasn't exactly sure where her mind was, but she knew she didn't like her mind being there. The half demon had never seen Kendra's eyes show so much dejection before.

"And finally, it says that Nigoya-San has a cut on the bridge of her nose, a gash over her bruised left cheek, broken glasses, a bruise on her abdomen, and…a fractured right rib." The headmaster trailed off with a sigh; he didn't want to play the mean card, but this was just too much.

The air around the elder Konoe then shifted from tired and disappointed to potent and authoritative.

"Guinyard-San" The headmaster started, but Kendra didn't react. Her hazel orbs were still glued to the floor and unwavering like she was in an unbreakable trance.

'_**Thy should snap out of it…Thy's superior is speaking to thy.'**_ Anima stated solemnly; all of his usual energy and arrogance drained from his voice.

_'I don' care…it ain't like I got a chance to save my ass. He won' care 'bout my side of da story and will expel me 'cause he can…'_ Kendra thought bitterly.

"Guinyard-San!" The headmaster said more sternly…he still didn't get a response out of the magic sensor; not when she was so deep inside her subconscious with Anima.

'_**Those aren't the words I'd except to hear coming from thy…'**_

_'What?'_

'…_**I don't care…'**_ The magic sensor was about to retort but was suddenly pulled out of her unconscious state when she felt Zazie tug on her sleeve. Kendra jumped from the sudden contact and then stared at the worried half demon. Zazie had her tilted in confusion at Kendra's distracted attitude and still had her index finger and thumb pinching the magic sensor's sleeve.

The magic sensor then looked in front of her to see a mildly annoyed headmaster rubbing his forehead again. _'Did I do somethin' wrong?'_ Kendra wondered.

"Guinyard-San, I'm trying to keep this as calm and fair as possible….but your distractive and uncaring attitude is making it nearly impossible for my aged and slowly thinning patience." Kendra snarled inwardly at this. She knew it; he really was just like all the other principals. Stuck up, pig headed, and never caring enough to listen to what she had to say-

"Now before we even get on the topics of punishment, I must know…who started this fight?" Headmaster Konoe asked; momentarily breaking Kendra out of her anger. The magic sensor blinked twice at the unexpected question. As normal as it was to ask such a question during these circumstances, Kendra never once heard these words come from her past principles.

Zazie noticed Kendra's slight surprise and now became even more suspicious. What was it about this whole situation that had Kendra acting so differently? The magic sensor was usually stoic when it came to other's opinions and views about her; but now, Kendra seemed a little lost about how to react to what the headmaster was saying. _'What happened to her all of a sudden?'_ The tattooed demon questioned.

This wasn't the level-headed, confident girl that she knew right now. Even Kendra's emotions were visible to everyone at the moment; her transfers of melancholy, to angry, to surprise, and then skeptical.

That's when a sudden realization struck Zazie; she never once asked about Kendra's life ever since she left for Japan. What if something tragic actually happened to her when Zazie wasn't there to help Kendra through it; and the magic sensor had no choice but to tough it out all by herself. That possibility left a sick feeling in the pit of the tan demon's stomach. _'It seems that all I do is cause problems for her.'_ Zazie really hoped that wasn't the case.

"Well um…Shintaki-San and her two friends actually started it sir…they started insultin' us and also charged at us…" Kendra said as calmly as possible. Just remembering what those girls said about her beloved Zazie started to rekindle her previous fury.

"I see…" The headmaster said as he stroked his beard and then shifted his attention to a nervous looking Stormy.

"And what do you have to say about this? Is what Guinyard-San saying so far true?" Kendra's face grimaced for a split second after hearing her formal name for the fourth time but then quickly allowed it to slide.

"Y-yes Headmaster Konoe…those three girls ran after Kendra-San all at once…" Stormy replied cautiously. The shy brunette was starting to have second thoughts about this. If it wasn't obvious enough, Stormy was not used to visiting the dean's office. His very aura was so intimidating, the few yet exquisite furniture in there looked like it'll take three years of working five full-time jobs just to buy them, and she felt like she was holding onto a responsibility that was a bit too much for her. What if she messed up somehow and ended up getting Kendra expelled? Stormy paled at that thought. What if Kendra came back to get revenge on her for ruining the girl's life at Mahora? _'Oh Kami I'm gonna die! But if she's expelled, then she can't come to the school and ge-I'm off track…'_ Stormy realized sheepishly. Why her brain would become scattered like that, she would never know.

"Well, if you weren't the first one who started this…than that could lessen your punishment considerably Guinyard-San." Kendra finally looked the old man straight in the eyes with her eyebrows raised in pleasant surprise. _'Damn…dat easily? Man, Japan really is laid back.'_ The dark skin girl mused.

"But that doesn't mean that you won't at least get suspended for a few days." The headmaster quickly added. Kendra's indifferent reaction was what the headmaster received, _'hmmm, well then…at least I don't have to deal with a student complaining about it.'_ He thought amusingly. _'I don' care 'bout suspension. Hell, dat's like a school vacation!'_ Kendra thought.

"Were there any weapons used in this fight?"

"Yes…I was almost stabbed by Shintaki-San. She had a butterfly knife." Kendra responded. The magic sensor actually felt her stomach churn a little from remembering how close that blade was to her neck. She never once encountered someone crazy enough to pull out a real blade on her; well, yes, some people have used sharp objects on her, but not an actual **knife**.

"Kami…the poor children these days; going so far as to even pull out a fatal weapon on another innocent human being." This news didn't help to lift the headmaster's distraught mood. He felt so disappointed. Has he been neglecting his students and not even paying attention to what was really going on with some of these corrupt kids?

"Stormy-San"

"H-hai" The brunette replied shakily, _'when's this meeting supposed to end?'_ She thought frantically. She couldn't continue on with her plans for today if they're delayed by this situation; which was cuddling with her stuffed otter for comfort.

"The blade, it's true?" The elder Konoe asked simply.

"Hai, sir, in fact, Shintaki-San attacked Guin-I mean…Kendra-San…in front of everyone. So if you want to be extra sure, I'm pretty sure those other girls would say the s-same thing…sir." Stormy said. Headmaster Konoe sighed again, _'does dis guy need a freakin' oxygen tank or somethin'?'_ Kendra was getting a little annoyed with his constant sighing.

"Now, before I get to what you're waiting for Guinyard-San, there is one more thing that's really bugging me about this." The elder man leaned forward on his desk and eyeballed Zazie. Kendra immediately noticed this and before the headmaster could ask his question, Kendra answered it.

"No. Zazie was not involved in the fight. It was just me, no one else headmaster." The bearded dean halted right as he was about to speak and then slowly leaned back into his chair; stroking his beard all the while.

"Ah, I see. Okay then…now for the verdict. Guinyard-San, you are to be suspended for five days. You'll also need someone to help bring the missed school assignments to you…Am I clear?" Kendra stared blandly into the headmaster's eyes and then said lowly yet clearly.

"Yes…Headmaster Konoe." The elderly dean nodded in satisfaction and then dismissively waved his hand at the three girls.

"That is all. You three may leave now." Stormy didn't hesitate to high tail out of there and try to compose herself in the hallways. Intense, that was what the frazzled brunette could see coming from that conversation. It may have looked like a simple, calm and quick evaluation of Kendra's determined punishment, but Stormy wasn't stupid.

The magic sensor seemed so angry at one point and was even ignoring the headmaster; the head honcho of Mahora Academy. _'Those rumors about her really were true…cold, fearless, and dangerous.'_ Stormy thought.

Kendra and Zazie, on the other hand, just calmly exited the dean's office. At least, they appeared to be calm; but they weren't.

The magic sensor felt satisfied but then again…she felt a little confused. _'Is dis what it feels like to actually be treated fairly? Hell…I could get used to dat, but still…'_ Kendra really was grateful for the fact that an authoritative figure finally tried to see her eye to eye. But the magic sensor wasn't so quick to praise the old man. After all the crap she's went through and receiving nothing but a judging glare from her teachers instead of the help that she desperately needed, it can really leave an emotional scare on someone. Then, unlike her other prejudice principals, this headmaster didn't seem just flat out pissed to see her in his office. Sure, Headmaster Konoe looked disappointed, but disappointed because he actually expected good out of Kendra. _'Da only thing my principles thought were good 'bout me was da fact dat I didn' make bad grades and didn' decide to stain their carpet wit tears!'_ Either way, Kendra definitely wasn't ready to consider the possibility that Headmaster Konoe was actually a fair and generally nice principle.

Zazie's mind was set on how careless and forgetful she could be. The tan demon was so swept up in Kendra's arrival and finally expressing her feelings for her that she never once asked the magic sensor about those years they were apart. Anything could've happened to Kendra during those seven years. More importantly, maybe it could explain where Kendra learned to fight or why she seemed to get cold feet when she faced the headmaster. _'Well, not really cold feet…but she completely forgot to hide her emotions. Not that I mind anymore since we've finally met, but if her mask is broken so easily, then something must be wrong.'_ The tattooed girl reasoned logically.

The two lovers didn't have to walk too far to meet up with, a currently composed, Stormy. The brunette, however, didn't realize the couple's arrival since her back was turned to them. She wouldn't have heard them either; this is Zazie Rainyday and Kendra Guinyard and these girls were naturally stealthy. Kendra spoke first; her bored mask present once again.

"Yo" Stormy nearly jumped out of her skin.

"Gah! Oh, uh, K-Kendra-San!" She clumsily turned on her heels to face the emotionless girls with her cheeks flustered in embarrassment.

"Man, does everyone in dis school need a chill pill?" Kendra mumbled in disbelief; she did think that Japanese people needed to relax a bit.

"Eh?" Stormy questioned as her innocent green eyes scanned Kendra for an answer. The magic sensor waved off her baffled response.

"Nothin', nothin'. Look, you was 'bout to head to ya place right? Walk wit us, I mean, ya did help me out back there…so let's talk a lil." It took Stormy a second or two to analyze Kendra's thick accent and slang to fully understand what she said; but she comprehended enough of it to know what the transfer student just asked.

"Ah, no…I-it's okay. I wouldn't want to be a burden-"

"A burden? Stormy-San, we're just walkin'. Come on." Stormy hesitated at first but eventually gave in. Besides, she didn't want to insult or offend Kendra in any way.

"O-okay, I'll walk with you." The walk, in Stormy's opinion, was silent and awkward. Stormy didn't even dare to try and start up a conversation with Kendra. Besides, Kendra was the one who suggested that they should talk a little, so shouldn't the magic sensor be the one to start it? _'Maybe she doesn't see me as someone who can hold up a conversation-'_

"So, ya got any hobbies Stormy-San?" Kendra asked casually.

"Eh, ah, well…um…" To say the least, Stormy was caught off guard by the question. It surprised her that Kendra even cared enough to learn what the shy brunette's hobbies were.

"I-I do enjoy writing and um, sometimes volunteering to help at the animal shelters-n-not that I'm a goody two shoes or anything!" Stormy quickly added at the end.

"Nah, it's all good. I get where ya comin' from, and there's no such thing as bein' a goody two shoes if ya motivations are pure. I think those kinda people just do good deeds to get attention. So I doubt you're one of em." Kendra responded indifferently. Stormy blinked in confusion, _'did she just indirectly compliment me?'_ She couldn't remember the last time she was surprised so many times in the same hour. Stormy quickly did a small bow in thanks.

"Th-thank you, Kendra-San. I just…love animals so much. So, I-I figured an animal shelter would b-be as good a place as any to spend s-some of my free time." Stormy could feel her blood slowly rushing to her cheeks again. Even though she bowed a lot, it never meant that she enjoyed it. Then, to make it even more embarrassing, she's been doing a lot more stuttering than usual today because of the anxiety she felt around the transfer student. _'I just don't get her. One moment, Kendra-San is silent and bored. But then she just starts casually talking with me and even compliments me!'_ Stormy really couldn't understand Kendra's confusing personality. Did the magic sensor have some kind of hidden motive or something?

"Can ya stop bowin'? I a'ready told ya before to just relax. I promise I'm not gonna bite ya head off…I'm not dat kinda person." Kendra replied; almost letting her frustration slip past her tongue. The magic sensor knew that she would probably run into some rumor problems once transferring to Mahora, but she didn't think it would get this bad. Kendra was hoping that people in Japan would be a little more accepting of her; she couldn't help the bored mask she used. No one could just stop doing something if they constantly done it for seven years straight. The magic sensor was trying, she really was.

Stormy caught herself before she was about to bow again in apology.

"Y-yes, Kendra-San." The kouhai looked ahead to realize that they were almost reaching their point to split up; her dorm room was in building 'C' while Kendra and Zazie's were in building 'A'.

"Um, my dorm is in this building. It was nice talking with you K-Kendra-San. You too Zazie-San." Stormy said as she started to take a step away from the two girls. She was almost home free; soon, she'll finally be in the safety of her room and cuddling with her stuffed otter…Not like that was the only thing she did, but after the emotional rollercoaster she's been riding on, Stormy needed some comfort time.

Stormy was just about to turn around and leave until she saw Kendra leave Zazie's side and slowly trot over to her. The green eyed girl wanted to back away, but found herself rooted to the spot and felt paralyzed under Kendra's hazel eyes. They just seemed so focused on her at the moment, like the magic sensor's eyes were analyzing Stormy's very soul. Maybe Stormy was blowing this out of proportion due to her bubbling fear, but she couldn't help but feel like an ant facing a giant shoe.

But on the contrary, Kendra was just trying to give the frightened kouhai the most sincere face she could make; which was a little difficult for her. It wasn't easy for her to express her emotions fully and honestly to other people besides Zazie and maybe even Setsuna. The magic sensor really hoped that this would get through to Stormy and show her that she wasn't the type of person that she seemed to be.

Stormy flinched when she felt Kendra softly ruffle her hair, _'eh?...Eh?...EH?'_ Was the kouhai's baffled response; she was still frozen where she was as the magic sensor's hand lingered on her head for only a second longer before moving away.

"I'm sorry. I know that you probably didn't enjoy the walk with us. But please…understand that I'm not some irrational, blood thirsty freak. What I did back there was only because that they've insulted the love of my life. But if you still don't feel comfortable around me…then there's nothing else that I can do."

Both Zazie and Stormy felt like there was a heavy ball of lead in their chest; the tan demon couldn't stand it when Kendra used such a sad tone and Stormy suddenly felt intense guilt well up in her. _'Did I make her sound like this?'_ The guilt-ridden girl shifted her gaze down to her feet; unable to look the magic sensor in the eyes. She really wanted to say something, but how was she supposed to respond to that? It was such a sudden change in demeanor that she wasn't even sure that this was still the same transfer student she was walking with just a few moments ago.

Kendra figured that Stormy's silence meant that she really couldn't accept her. The magic sensor wasn't upset with her, sure she felt a little down about it, but she wasn't angry with Stormy. Kendra could understand Stormy's reluctance and just simply turned away and went back to her girlfriend's side.

Zazie immediately grabbed Kendra's hand for support and comfort. Kendra could try and hide it all she wanted to, but the tan demon will always be able to tell when something really bothered the magic sensor. They began walking towards dorm building 'A' and didn't even bother risking a glance back at Stormy who was still glued to her spot.

_'Wait…'_ Stormy's mind pleaded. _'Wait, please…'_ Kendra and Zazie's retreating image was becoming more and more distant. Stormy squeezed her eyes shut and clenched her teeth, _'why? Why can't I say anything? Just do it!'_ The couple was almost reaching the building gates, _'stop being so scared! Just…just…'_ Kendra and Zazie passed through the gates and were about to open the building double doors. _'Say it!'_

"KENDRA-SAN!" Stormy shouted at the top of her lungs; startling the couple as they abruptly turned around. Even the shy brunette was surprised by her volume of voice. Could she always get that loud?

"I-I accept you! I don't believe those rumors anymore! And even though you can look pretty scary sometimes…you're actually a really nice person!" Stormy then smiled widely yet awkwardly and raised her right hand in a peace sign.

"Your friendship…AIN'T NO SWEAT WITH ME!" Kendra stared at Stormy, whose face was a nice shade of burgundy, and then slowly allowed a warm smile to spread across her face. The magic sensor proudly held up a peace sign of her own.

"Yeah…it ain't no sweat wit me either, Stormy-San." Kendra knew she didn't say it loud enough for Stormy to hear, but the magic sensor's smile seemed to be enough to convey how she felt.

Zazie cracked a small smile as she felt Kendra squeeze her hand tighter. _'She's still as sensitive as I remember…I knew some of the old Kendra was still in there.'_ One thing for sure was that Zazie was determined to learn even more about Kendra's life once they stop by the magic sensor's dorm room.

Stormy sheepishly brought her hand back down to her side after waving and then quickly walked off to building 'C'. _'KAMI that was embarrassing! But…at least I made up with Kendra-San.'_ Stormy thought with a prideful grin. Plus, she did get two benefits out of all of this.

She is now officially friends with Kendra, the currently famous and mysterious transfer student and now she might've learned a way to keep the bullies away from her. Seriously, who would've thought she had a pair of powerful lungs on her? _'Wait until they see the shy and reserved Stormy actually raise her voice and stand up for herself!'_

It wasn't that students bullied her constantly because she was an outcast or nerd. In fact, it was mostly out of jealously. To put it blunt, Stormy was cute, small, and had pretty favorable looks; dating material as most people would put it. In fact, once Stormy reaches her room; she won't squeeze her stuffed otter to death and bask in its fuzzy love. _'Not when there's nothing to complain about!'_ The exhilarated brunette thought. One thing she knew for sure; today was one of those days that she'll never forget…

* * *

><p>Kendra and Zazie watched as Stormy's image finally disappeared as she turned the corner and then looked at each other; Zazie smiling knowingly and Kendra smiling pleasantly.<p>

"I'm glad." The tan demon stated simply as she gently rubbed the back of her hand against Kendra's cheek and then traced her jawline before her hand finally rested on the dark skin girl's shoulder. The magic sensor raised an eyebrow at Zazie's sudden tender attitude.

"Why?"

"You've managed to gain another friend and you showed your sensitive side. I always did love that about you."

"My sensitive side? I don' know what'cha talkin' 'bout." Kendra replied; feigning ignorance. The tan demon chuckled lightly.

"Don't play dumb. You know you were so sensitive back then…Remember when you found a small bird lying motionless in the grass and then you started to cry…but then you said that you're allergies were just acting up." Kendra sweat dropped. She couldn't help it, the bird looked like it was dead…but then it turned out that it just had an injured wing.

"It was uh…p-pollen season…" The magic sensor answered weakly.

"Kendra…you aren't allergic to pollen-"

"There were cats."

"…or cats." Zazie finished as she inwardly celebrated in triumph. It wasn't every day that she managed to outsmart Kendra, and she knew for sure that she won since the magic sensor had her mouth shut tight in defeat.

The magic sensor opened the door and then gestured for Zazie to enter first with her head bowed all the while. Zazie stared worriedly at her girlfriend and figured that maybe she went a little too far with her teasing.

"Kendra? Sorry…if I went too far…"

"…"

"…Kendra?" Zazie called out again.

"It's a'ight…'cause I will get payback. Dat I can promise ya." Kendra raised her head and flashed Zazie a mischievous grin. The tan demon stepped back and gulped in fear. Oh no, she wasn't scared of that impish smile, far from it; but she knew what those faces could do to her. _'Stay calm Zazie, it's just a grin…a mischievous…evil…and really hot grin.'_ This train of thought obviously was not helping the struggling half demon.

"Ooooh ,Zazie's blushin." Kendra cooed. The magic sensor knew what kind of spell she had over Zazie. It wasn't too hard to see that Kendra's flirtatious ways blew Zazie's mental decency to pieces. The dark skin girl's favorite would have to be when she called the shy half demon babe; the reactions were priceless.

Zazie quickly waved her hand dismissively, almost as if trying to swat away the lewd thoughts that she knew were coming, and began to enter the dorm room building.

"O-Okay, I get it Kendra. You've got your payback. So let's just-"

"Oh no, there's plenty more where dat came from." Kendra said slyly as she also entered the building right behind her girlfriend. Zazie practically choked on air after hearing this, _'there's no way I'm gonna make it!'_ She thought frantically.

"W-what?"

"Ya heard me. I'm gonna make sure…" Kendra abruptly pulled Zazie close to her, her arm wrapped tightly around the flustered demon's waist, and stared intensely into those nervous brown eyes.

"…dat I have lots of fun…and drive dat 'lil demon in ya crazy too…How does dat sound, Zazie?" There are so many different variations for the color red to be interpreted in the human language. For example; cherry, burgundy, velvet, crimson and so on. But it looks like humanity will have to conceive another one that could come anywhere close to describing the drastic shade of red Zazie's cheeks were at the moment.

Zazie's demon and human instincts were raging war in her mind. Her human side was begging for mercy and pleaded that the girl wouldn't give in to her desires. The demon half of course, had other plans. _'Just take it in stride! Follow your instincts already, there's no use fighting it, right?'_ This is what her demon side shouted desperately, but her humanity kicked in right after. _'No, no, no! I'm not some lust bunny! I know it's tempting, but I have to calm down and think rationally about this! Kendra's just innocently flirting; nothing more.'_ Zazie wasn't completely wrong, but she wasn't completely right either.

Half of the time, Kendra really was just teasing the tan demon so she could see her cute and flustered expressions. But then, at other times, the magic sensor's flirting wasn't always just teasing.

"But I won' do it right now." Kendra said as she released Zazie. The currently dazed demon stared questioningly at the transfer student.

"It wouldn't be as fun if ya knew when it was comin' right? So ya betta keep ya guard up Zazie…" Kendra teased as she smiled wickedly at Zazie. Zazie would've given a more sophisticated and reasonable answer, but her brain neurons were completely and utterly frying. So, she had to settle for a simple, one worded phrase.

"U…uh-huh…" Her voice sounded so strained. Zazie just now realized how dry her throat became and gulped; the teasing really is taking a toll on the poor half demon. Kendra playfully rolled her eyes at Zazie's dumbfounded expression and then grabbed hold of her hand.

"So, you wanna hang in my room for a 'lil while? Or would ya rather have me walk ya back to your room?" The magic sensor asked casually and acting as if the last five minutes never even happened. That question undoubtedly got Zazie's full attention; this could be her chance to ask Kendra about her past.

"Actually, I want to talk to you in private about something. So can we go to your dorm?"

"Eh? A'ight, you don' even gotta ask." _'What does she wanna talk 'bout? Could it be 'bout da pactio? Nah, we already solved dat problem durin' lunch t'day. But what else is there?'_ Kendra pondered…

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, Haruna was pacing around in her room madly with that signature strand of hair of hers twitching violently.<p>

"WON'T MAKE THE PACTIO EH? OH, I'LL SHOW HER, SHE'LL MAKE THAT PACTIO WITH NEGI-SAN! JUST WATCH!" Haruna shouted viciously to the ceiling and striking a pose closely resembling to a super villain.

"Err…Haruna-San; don't you think you're blowing this out of proportion a little?" Yue asked slowly as she sweat dropped at her roommate's hyperactive behavior.

"I mean, I know Evangeline-San said that Kendra-San has to make a pactio with Negi-Sensei, but you're treating this like we're preparing for war." The over-zealous Otaku shot an accusing finger at the short mage in training.

"THAT'S BECAUSE IT IS WAR! WE'LL NEED TACTICS, AMMO, AND DECEPTION!" Nodoka, who was currently trying to keep herself from getting involved in this absurd argument, didn't like the fire she saw in the artist's eyes. She knew that Haruna only had crazy and risky ideas in her head when her eyes got like that. The shy bookworm leaned over to Yue and then whispered nervously.

"I-I'm not the only one…who sees th-the fire i-in her eyes, r-right?" Yue nodded gravely in response.

"What do you say Nodoka?" Haruna shouted; startling the said girl as she stared timidly at her lap.

"E-eh? Um, well it's not that I'm a-against the idea o-or anything b-but..." Nodoka trailed off as she shrunk farther into herself; not handling the sudden spotlight too well.

"But?" Both Yue and Haruna repeated curiously.

"B-but…I think E-Evangeline-San is hiding s-something from us a-about Kendra-San." Yue's interest suddenly perked after hearing this as her eyebrows raised a minor bit.

"Yeah, I've been thinking that too. Especially the way Evangeline-San looked at Zazie-San when she talked about Kendra-San's powers."

"Fu, fu, fu…well of course Zazie would be involved in this. You know…since her and Kendra are in **that **kind of relationship." Haruna said slyly as an evil grin appeared on her face.

"We still don't know for sure if they're even that close Haruna-San." Yue interjected blandly. _'I understand if she pairs up Konoka-San with Setsuna-San or Asuna-San with Ayaka-San…but Kendra-San being with Zazie-San is a bit-'_

"But I've saw them together the first day Kendra transferred here!" Haruna countered eagerly and her glasses flashing from the memory of catching Kendra and Zazie together. The two librarians were silent in thought for a few moments.

It wasn't exactly the most solid evidence; but it definitely got their minds leaning even more towards the possibility of the magic sensor and half demon being in an intimate relationship. Also, Zazie's initial defiance of Kendra performing the pactio and when Kendra and Zazie left the cafeteria together only helped to further confirm Yue and Nodoka's suspicions. With those three factors in thought, it was almost impossible to not at least assume that the transfer student was Zazie's lover.

"Heheh, and let me tell ya, it was so steamy between those two! They practically couldn't keep their hands off of each other even though they were in public! And then they started to have a hot make-out session right in front of everybody, no lies!" Haruna continued in a half dreamy and half crazed trance. Yue and Nodoka would know for sure that they've lost Haruna once a strand of saliva would start to hang out of the corner of her mou-ah, there it is. The two best friends didn't even try to break Haruna out of her 'Eechi Overload'; that was simply infeasible.

KNOCK, KNOCK!

"I got it." Yue answered as she stood up from the couch and opened the door. It was the paparazzi duo, Kazumi and Sayo.

"Kazumi-San, Sayo-San, what are you guys doing here?" Yue questioned in mild surprise. She didn't get too many visits from these two specific classmates; unless it was for a story of course. _'But Nodoka-San and I have already been interviewed by her about Kendra-San. So what else could she possibly want with us?'_

"Hey Yue-San! We actually wanted to ask Nodoka-San a favor! Mind if we come in?" Kazumi asked; trying to sound as innocent yet casual as possible. Yue, who was a little wary at first, slowly stood aside and allowed Kazumi and Sayo into the room.

"Hey Nodoka-San, you got a minute?" Kazumi asked brightly as she made herself comfy on a chair across from the couch Nodoka was seated on and not even bothering to ask why Haruna was sparkle-eyed and had drool dripping down her chin a few feet away. Sayo settled for floating next to the news reporter.

"U-Um, sure Kazumi-S-san. What d-do you n-need?" Nodoka stuttered.

"Actually, I'm here for some serious business." The journalist said in a sudden serious tone as she leaned forward in her seat.

"What k-kind of business?" The shy bookworm asked cautiously as Yue returned to her seat next to Nodoka and eyed Kazumi suspiciously.

"Kendra-San business." Kazumi stated simply. That two worded responses was all it took to finally shake Haruna out of her 'Eechi Overload' though, which is quite the feat, and then compel the Otaku to fervently ask Kazumi her hopefully soon to be answered question.

"Is it about Kendra being in a relationship with Zazie?"

"Ah, you're alive. And no…it's not about her relationship with Zazie-San." The paparazzi girl replied which in response instantly shot down the manga artist's hopes. Haruna hung her head in grief.

"It's actually about Kendra-San's powers. I really think there's a lot more to it than just naturally having all this magic energy…I don't know if I was the only who felt this or not…but I felt this really…really…" Kazumi wasn't even sure how to describe it; the sinister and chilling feeling she got from Kendra today when the magic sensor used her force field was almost unbelievable.

"Really what?" Haruna asked impatiently; not even noticing how Kazumi's skin color seemed to drop a shade or two. Sayo, Yue, and Nodoka realized this though and just waited patiently yet nervously for the spooked news reporter to continue.

"…really…evil aura coming from her. It felt impure, overwhelming, wicked …look, the list could go on forever, but what I'm trying to say is that there really isn't something right about Kendra-San…That's why I want your help, Nodoka-San."

"H-how could I p-possibly help wi-with that?" Nodoka muttered…although she probably knew where Kazumi was going with this.

"You want Nodoka-San to use her artifact, don't you?" Yue assumed correctly. She was always sharp about these kind of things; not that the news reporter's hidden motives were that hard to guess though. After regaining some color to her face, Kazumi nodded and then smirked cheekily.

"That's right. A hardcore news reporter would be an idiot to pass the opportunity to use such an advantage on learning secrets like Nodoka-San's mind reading powers."

BAM!

Kazumi, Nodoka, and Yue jumped from the banging noise and then looked over to see a distraught Haruna repeatedly banging her head on the wall.

"I could've…used Nodoka's…artifact…all along…instead…of all…that stealth work…I did on…Kendra and Zazie." Haruna mumbled dully in between each bang of her head. The three watching girls sweat dropped and then turned their attention away from the Otaku's breakdown. They were pretty sure she'd be back to normal soon anyways…not certain but pretty sure.

"So? Can you do it Nodoka-San?" Kazumi pleaded while trying to use the best puppy eyes she had. The news reporter didn't even realize Sayo blushing behind her, _'s-so cute…those big brown eyes…and the way she pokes out her lower lip and what am I thinking about?'_ The ghostly girl screamed in her mind as she placed her hands on her cheeks to finally acknowledge her flushed face. Luckily for Sayo, none of the others seemed to notice her little episode.

Nodoka stared down into her lap again and nibbled nervously on her lower lip. It was a difficult decision for her. The shy librarian had the same suspicions as everyone else but she didn't feel comfortable abusing her powers to invade a person's most private sanctuary; their minds. But that puppy pout was eating away at the girl's resolve and Nodoka never really was good at denying someone after they pleaded to her. Finally, Nodoka would be lying to herself if she said that she wasn't also just curious about Kendra's powers…but also about Kendra and Zazie being a couple. So, Nodoka finally came to a decision, _'I'll probably regret this later…'_

"O-okay…I-I'll read Kendra-S-san's mind for you K-Kazumi-San." Kazumi smiled and then briefly brought Nodoka into a crushing hug.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you Nodoka-San!" The shy librarian didn't even get a chance to fully blush before she was released and lowered back into the couch.

"Y-y-you're w-welcome Ka-Kazumi-San." Nodoka stuttered as her face blushed a deep shade of crimson.

"Are you sure Nodoka-San? You know you really don't have to do it if you don't want to." Yue asked Nodoka which earned a vein to start pulsating on the journalist's head, _'hey, hey! Don't rain on my parade already Yue-San!'_ Nodoka nodded at her concerned friend however.

"Hai, it's fine, I want to do this."

"Well then, let's get to it!" Haruna suddenly popped up next to Nodoka; finally breaking out of her shocked daze. Nodoka yelped in fright while the others just stared indifferently at the passionate pervert. Hey, they knew she'd be better soon, remember?

"H-hai" Nodoka reached her trembling hand, thanks to Haruna's sudden appearance, into her skirt pocket and slowly pulled out her pactio card. The blue haired girl held up card in then inhaled deeply; preparing herself for going down a road she knew she wouldn't be able to turn back from.

"Adeat" The pactio card was gradually engulfed in a brilliant white glow and then exploded into a giant ball of light. Not even a whole two seconds passed until the ball of enchanting magic energy receded back to a dim radiant sheet covering Nodoka's artifact; Diarium Ejus. The book gently floated into Nodoka's awaiting hands. The shy bookworm opened her book and then paused for a reluctant second before commanding the magical manuscript.

"Show me Guinyard Kendra's current location."

"Your book can figure out where people's locations are? I didn't know that." Kazumi said as she walked over to Nodoka's side; Sayo following right behind her.

"Not quite. I-It actually just reads the mentioned person's mind for the location." Nodoka responded without removing her eyesight from the book. All the girls huddled around Nodoka as a picture finally began to draw itself on the page's picture caption.

It first sketched in Kendra sitting on her bed with two full glasses of some kind of drink set on a nearby table. Then, the background was filled in to show that it was a single bunk room; so the girls assumed that it was the magic sensor's room since they knew Zazie shared with Mana. Finally, the artifact showed Zazie sitting on the bed as well; but that wasn't what got all of the girls to widen their eyes in intrigue. It was the very last detail drawn in; Kendra and Zazie's hands intertwined in a comforting grip.

"…Yep, they're together…" The nosey students all muttered at once…

* * *

><p>Zazie squeezed Kendra's hand tighter for a second before relaxing her grip again; showing the magic sensor that she was here for her. Kendra wasn't aware of the meaning behind that simple action yet, but she still smiled warmly at the tan demon.<p>

"So what did ya wanna talk 'bout Zazie?" Zazie's brown orbs shifted to the carpet floor and then back up to Kendra's hazel eyes. She was nervous yet eager at the same time; the tattooed girl was nervous because that there was a possibility that Kendra could've went through something terrible during those years. Zazie's heart probably wouldn't be able to take the guilt of knowing that she was an indirect cause of it. But then, she was eager because it was common for two people in a relationship to learn as much as possible about each other.

But it wasn't like Zazie had a choice whether or not to ask Kendra now; she's the one who wanted to do this in the first place and she couldn't help but think that listening to Kendra's past would be a form of pardon for the trouble she caused with her jealousy yesterday.

"I…never once asked about your life during those seven years we were apart. And I don't think you've ever once brought it up. Could we…talk about it now?" Zazie asked cautiously just in case this subject was actually a very sensitive topic for Kendra.

The topic wasn't really sensitive, but it still left a bitter feeling in Kendra's chest when she had to think about. That's why she visibly flinched when Zazie mentioned this. _'I got no problem tellin' her…but she'll definitely blame herself for it. Dat's da last thing I wanna happen to her, she's still hung up on da whole jealousy thing.'_ The magic sensor sincerely didn't want to put any guilt in her girlfriend's mind, but she didn't want to keep any secrets away from Zazie either. Kendra sighed and then rested her hands on Zazie's shoulders.

"A'ight…I'll tell ya. From detail to detail, but ya gotta promise me one thing." Zazie nodded as she stared confusingly at the transfer student.

"Do…not…blame…yourself. Okay?" Kendra said firmly; adding edge to every word to make sure that it really got through Zazie's head.

"O-okay" The shy half demon stuttered. Now she was even more worried. _'If she's telling me this…than that means something traumatic must've happened to her after all.'_ Even though Kendra just asked her not to blame herself, Zazie did at least have the possibility of her ruining the magic sensor's childhood stick in the back of her mind.

A person's childhood is one of the most cherished things that should be enjoyed to the fullest; so the thought of ruining it for her soul mate made a shudder travel up Zazie's spine. She shook the feeling off though; she just promised Kendra she wouldn't blame herself. So the least she could do is not jump to conclusions until she heard the end of the dark skin girl's story.

"Well…" Kendra started as she nervously rubbed her hands on her thighs and leaned against the wall. Zazie followed suit with her curious eyes never leaving Kendra's.

"I'm not gonna sugar coat it. My elementary and first two middle school years were hell." The magic sensor's voice suddenly dropped an octave; cutting off all emotional ties so that recalling the memories wouldn't be as painful.

"I was bullied everyday 'cause of my reserved attitude and bored facial expression. The kids would beat me bloody just outside of school properties and then leave me there to wallow in my own pain. I would just limp home like dat. My mom always asked where I got da injuries from, but I always lied and said dat I just hurt myself durin' gym class or somethin'."

"Why would they do that?" Zazie spat with venom in her voice as her fists trembled. The magic sensor casually reached over and grabbed one of Zazie's fists with her hand.

"Calm down, Zazie. It couldn' be helped, they were kids…and just bully anyone they could or didn' understand. And dat's what I was to them; a lonely girl they didn' understand and looked weak enough to kick 'round like a soccer ball." Kendra exhaled slowly and then continued with her life story.

"Anyways, it continued like dat until da fifth grade…I uh…did somethin' pretty bad here…somethin' I'm really not proud of. A group of kids were chasin' me from da school and into da woods. They surrounded me and began beatin' me wit pipes and stuff. I pleaded over and over again for them to stop, but they didn'. Then I started to cry and they stopped to laugh at me. The leader of da group walked up and whispered words to me…ya know, da tauntin' kind? But then…I don' know what came ova me…but…" This specific memory was always the hardest for her to retell; especially after learning that it could have been avoided if it wasn't for Anima. Kendra closed her eyes and then pushed herself to progress with the painful recollection.

"I grabbed him by da throat and practically lifted the guy off da ground. I was suffocatin' him and he started to turn blue. I slammed him into a tree and then started hittin' him…again…and again…and again. I couldn' stop Zazie. I just felt so…angry. Angrier dan I eva had in my entire life…I nearly killed him Zazie…and I was so scared; thinkin' of what might happen to me and what exactly possessed me to do it." Kendra then chuckled somberly under her breath; such bitter irony. It was Anima that possessed her all along; such bitter, tragic irony. The magic sensor actually felt her sympathy for the immortal slip away for a split second; thinking that so what if Anima ruined his life because of his carelessness? He basically forced her to commit man slaughter at the age of nine without her even knowing it. But Kendra immediately cut off that train of thought; she made a promise to Anima and she wasn't going to break it just because she was getting a little emotional.

Kendra felt Zazie scoot closer to her and tenderly kissed her cheek. The tan demon then buried her face in the crook of the magic sensor's neck.

"Go on." Her voice cracked with sorrow. This was just too much; the way Kendra described it was becoming too much for Zazie. She could actually visualize these things happening to her lover; the beatings, the loneliness, the fear…she could see it all and it terrified her.

"So…I had to take therapy sessions for overly violent children for 'bout a year. Dis only made my life at school and home even worse. The kids started callin' me a psycho and they still bullied me; but not wit beatin's 'cause they heard 'bout what I did to dat kid…But they still played mind games wit me. Sayin' dat they felt sorry for my mom since she had to raise a nut child or dat everyone should stay away from me or else they'll catch my craziness. Just stupid stuff…ya know?" Kendra drew in a shaky breath and cursed inwardly when a single tear rolled down her solemn face.

"Things also got awkward at home for me. I was scared of myself 'cause I didn' know when I'd might snap again…so I distanced myself away from my parents a lot. I didn' even hug my mom for a whole two months…man, I was traumatized. So um…dat continued for 'bout a year and when I entered middle school, I just figured I'd be alone for da rest of my life…Luckily, I finally made a friend. His name's Deveron, in fact, I'll let ya talk wit him ova da phone sometime. Um…everythin' between us was pretty great, we got along really well…but then he said dat he loved me and tried to kiss me." The magic sensor smiled for a brief second when she felt Zazie jump from hearing her mention Deveron's confession.

"But I kinda slapped him before he kissed me…I also didn' mean to do dat as well, but he knew how I felt 'bout you…so da kiss was a bit too far on his part." Zazie peeked a teary eye up at Kendra.

"You told him about me?"

"Oh yeah, I talked to him 'bout ya nearly every day and I told him dat I loved you too." The half demon shoved her face back into Kendra's neck to try and hide her blush. Kendra still knew she was blushing though; the sudden building up of thermal heat near her neck was evidence enough.

"So anyways, after I slapped Deveron he said he was sorry and left. I left too and cried when I got home; I didn' wanna hurt him. I was afraid dat I lost my only other friend in da world…but after three days of no contact wit him, he started to talk wit me again…but I could tell dat things were neva da same between us again. But hey, we're still friends and I'm happy wit just dat; I wasn't lonely ya know?" Kendra began to gently stroke Zazie's back; the half demon was now crying even harder than before. The magic sensor could practically feel a wet spot growing on her shoulder but it wasn't like she minded.

"After dat whole incident…I realized dat I really can't live my life wit'out you in it. So I started to learn Japanese and signed up for a fifty thousand dollar award-winnin' writin' contest. Ya had to write a complete, twenty thousand word essay on Japanese culture wit 'lil grammatical errors. Dear god…let me tell ya I thought my brain was gonna explode. But I knew dat it was my chance to finally see ya again…and even though it took a lot of sufferin' and a miracle, I won da contest. I think Deveron asked if I was god when he found out dat I won…but he's a spaz, so whateva. So yeah…I transferred to Mahora and here I am now." Kendra sighed in relief as she finished her story; that took a lot more mental and emotional effort than she thought. _'Man, I think I got a headache!'_ She complained as she rubbed her aching temple. The magic sensor lightly shook Zazie's shoulder and then whispered in her ear.

"As much as I love dis…I need ya to move for a sec, okay? I got a headache and need some water or somethin'." Kendra didn't receive a response at first, but Zazie complied and slowly backed away from Kendra; her eyes downcast the entire time. She was trying to hide her tear streaked face from Kendra since she didn't want to trouble the magic sensor any more than she already has.

Zazie felt the weight on the other side of the bed disappear and assumed that Kendra left for water but then she felt a pair of soft lips press against her forehead. The tan demon closed her eyes and basked in the innocent and heavenly sensation. She really did need that and only wished it could've lasted longer as the magic sensor pulled away, grabbed her empty glass off the table and walked into the kitchen. Zazie held her legs close to her chest and wrapped arms around her knees as she waited for Kendra; her brown eyes staring shakily into the wall. Her emotions were very complex at the moment; she felt disgusted, angry, sympathetic, and lost.

Disgusted with herself for forgetting to ask Kendra such an important question. The magic sensor really needed someone to talk to about this and here she was fawning over Kendra and pretending like everything in the world was perfect when Kendra held in so many painful memories.

Angry obviously because of all the unfair that Kendra had to go through; the bullying pretty much answers why Kendra became nervous around Headmaster Konoe. Principles back in her school never helped her and probably even looked down on her because of the incident with that boy she injured so badly.

Zazie's concentration only swayed for a moment as she heard the sound of running water from the sink faucet but then pulled back into her rambling thoughts. She sympathized with Kendra because she knew how it felt to think that no one would ever accept and see her for what she truly was. Zazie's former demon family only expected what they wanted from the half demon. If there was ever a moment that she showed weakness or human traits around them, they would immediately shun her and pretend like she didn't even belong to the family.

Finally, Zazie felt lost. She just couldn't settle on whether to feel deeply guilty about this and shower Kendra in her undying support and love or not feel guilty and shower Kendra in her undying support and love. As obvious as the answer should be for her; it just wasn't so simple in the half demon's mind. If she just didn't leave Kendra behind and make her keep that stupid promise, things would've turned out differently; things would've turned out for the better.

"Kendra…" The emotionally confused girl voice was hoarse and scratchy; her throat soar from all the silent sobs she held in earlier. Kendra still heard her and turned around to face her with a full cup of water in her hand. She wished she didn't hear her though; Kendra didn't like the way Zazie sounded.

"Be honest with me…this wouldn't have happened if I didn't move-no…if I never met you. Ever since I came into your life, I've caused nothing but problems for you and ruined your life." Kendra's grip on her glass tightened; this is what she was afraid of. Zazie was doing exactly what Kendra asked her not to do. Even Zazie couldn't believe what she was saying, but now that she's started she just couldn't stop; it almost scared her with all these depressing things flowing out of her mouth.

"My sister and I were the result of my father's sudden sexual urges and he just did it with some random human woman. At least Setsuna-San knew her mother for some time of her life; I don't even know who or where mine is. I was raised for the first few years of my life in a pack of demons. I refuse to call them a family; they could never deserve to be called a family. I helped my sister slaughter, torture and kill innocent human beings…And then I show up in your life and ruined everything for you. What is it about me that you can possibly love? How can you fall in love with me? How Kendra?" Zazie pleaded desperately as she hid her face farther into her arms.

There was a long silence. Kendra exhaled deeply; barely remembering when she started to hold her breath, _'why do you hate yourself so much Zazie? How can you not see how incredible you are?'_ She wondered inwardly.

"Zazie…" Kendra whispered and hoping to get some kind of reaction out of the shaken up girl, but Zazie didn't even flinch.

"I got a question for ya." Zazie still didn't show any visible signs that she was listening but Kendra continued anyways and leisurely took two steps towards her.

"If a shopper went to a jewelry store and saw a wide variety of beautiful diamonds…but then saw a small, not so shiny, ruby…which one do you think the customer would pick?"

"…" Still no response from Zazie.

"That customer would actually pick the ruby because they believe that one is a one of kind and not like the rest. Plus, it was way cheaper than the others. This shopper thinks they've made the perfect buy…but that shopper was wrong." Kendra slid Zazie's empty glass over and sat down on the table in front of her.

"Just because it looked different doesn't mean that it was special. There was one diamond that was put together in the same group of diamonds even though it wasn't made the exact same way as the others. But since it looked the same as others, the customer figured it wasn't special. A week later, that same shopper was wearing her ruby necklace with a beautiful gown at the annual ball. She was beautiful…just like everyone else. Even though that person's jewelry was different she still didn't stand out from everyone else who used diamonds instead. So she wondered, why? Why don't I stand out even though my ruby was different from their diamonds? Then…she saw why. There was one woman who truly had her time to shine. Her jewelry was diamonds, but…the owner of those diamonds actually painted them baby blue so that the light reflection would bounce off them and give a soft blue glow that almost made you feel like you're at the bottom of the ocean. Zazie…you are that diamond and I am that owner. You may just look like any old half demon to everyone else, but I saw your potential to become something so much more. All it took was patience and hard work to get through that shell of yours and make you shine like the most beautiful gem in the world. And once I finally accomplished that, I knew I fell in love for the first and only time in my life…" Kendra reached over and gently brushed Zazie's bangs.

"There…I've answered your question…now come here and give me a hug." The magic sensor whispered gently as she threw her arms wide open for Zazie. The half demon slowly freed her face from its prison and stared at her with shimmering eyes ready to cry again. Kendra waved her hand in the beckoning gesture.

"Come on." That was all Kendra had to say before she was immediately tackled by a sobbing Zazie. The tattooed girl tightly wrapped her arms and legs around Kendra's body and buried her face in the magic sensor's shoulder…

* * *

><p>A few drops of tears plopped onto Nodoka's artifact. They belonged to the bookworm, Kazumi, and Haruna. Yue had a somber look on her face and was facing away from the book; unable to read anymore. Sayo was crying as well, but her ghostly tears simply phrased through solid objects and then disappeared from existence.<p>

"O-Oh Kami…I don't…I don't think I can read anymore!" Haruna shouted as she dramatically threw a hand against her forehead and looked away from the Diarium Ejus. Kazumi moved away from the couch and sat back down in the chair she was seated in earlier as she attempted to wipe a few tears from her eyes.

"D-damn…Kendra-San went through h-hell and back…" The news reporter only received weak nods from the girls. Sayo sniffled a few times before realizing something important.

"Y-you know…we never really…l-learned about the s…secrets behind K-Kendra-San's powers."

"You're right…but she did mention someone by the name of Anima…so we could probably do some research about him when we can." Yue suggested dully.

"Y-y-yes…we'll d-do that tomorrow." Nodoka croaked between her sobs. She couldn't remember the last time she read something so sad. Sure she's read her fair share of tragic stories, but this was real life and it happened to someone that she actually knew. The difference was substantial.

"Abeat" Nodoka's artifact morphed back into her pactio with a millisecond flash of white light. The shy bookworm then immediately placed it back into her skirt pocket and looked around at the still depressed girls. _'Kendra-San...was treated so poorly by us when all she needed were some friends…I can't believe we thought so terribly of her. We're no better than those bullies she had to deal with back then.'_ Nodoka thought; ashamed of her previous views on the transfer student…

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><p>Okay, that's it for now! And once again, I stayed up til 6 in the morning working on this...so you're welcome...ANYWAYS things may get a little more interesting next chapter! So look forward to that! But for now, please...<p>

CLICK THE BLUE BUTTON! -.-


	20. Chapter 20

Hey everyone, I'm back! Yayyyyy! X) Sorry I took a while to update but I ended up re-writing this chapter over and over until I was satisfied with it...I still don't feel 100% about this chapter but I think it's okay. :P

Disclaimer: I do not own Negima or any of it's characters...why not? I think I could do some great things with the series! Cough! Cough! KonoSetsu! Cough! Cough! ;)

Now please, enjoy the chapter! :D

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><p><strong>Chapter 20<strong>

Kendra sighed as she stared at her dorm room ceiling and then placed her right arm behind her head as a makeshift pillow. She was comfortably relaxing across her single bunk bed; thinking about the last two hours that have passed so quickly.

It didn't feel like a whole hour at all to Kendra as she finally revealed her past to Zazie and it definitely didn't feel like another hour to her as she held the crying half demon and tried to soothe her as best as possible.

So here they were now. Zazie had cried herself to sleep with her arms still tightly wrapped Kendra's torso and her face resting on the magic sensor's shoulder. Kendra did try to at least readjust into a more comfortable position, but the tan demon's grip on her just wouldn't allow her to. Kendra didn't struggle for too long and just lied there; she couldn't deny that she enjoyed cuddling with the half demon anyways.

The magic sensor sighed as she gazed upon Zazie's face covered in dried tears, _'I think Zazie needed dis talk more dan I did.'_ Kendra removed her right hand from behind her and removed a strand of white hair sticking to the sleeping girl's cheek. Zazie unconsciously leaned into Kendra's touch before relaxing again as the transfer student withdrew her hand. The dark skin girl chuckled quietly; trying not to stir Zazie from her nap, _'her sleepin' face still hasn' changed.'_

Kendra remembered how innocent Zazie's sleeping face would look during those sleep-overs they had in South Carolina.

The half demon would always have a relaxed and innocent smirk on her face; it was almost unnoticeable with how small it was, but Kendra always saw it. The smile has always been there, ever since Zazie slept for the first time around human beings and not her former demon family. _'Maybe she just felt…safer 'round us…safer 'round me. Man, it makes me wonder how her old family used to treat her. Did she never feel safe 'round 'em?'_ Kendra wondered.

It wasn't an unlikely possibility; especially after the things Zazie told Kendra earlier about how her twin sister and father looked down on her. Kendra grimaced at the thought; she hoped Zazie didn't go through anything traumatic in her early childhood like the magic sensor had. _'No way…someone dat precious could neva deserve to go through anythin' close to what I had…it'd be like a crime.'_ The magic sensor didn't really believe in her self-reassurance though. As much as she hoped that that was true; the real world didn't show any mercy for Kendra even though she was innocent. So it's not like Zazie was an exception; anything can happen.

"Hmph…fine then. Life can show its ugly face 'n try 'n hurt Zazie…but I'll a'ways be there to protect her." Kendra whispered with a sneer; if she couldn't keep the danger away from Zazie, then she'll just have to shield her from it.

'_**Why the sudden flare of determination child…'**_ Anima's dull voice bounced around in the magic sensor's mind.

_'Ya already know why…we share souls so you can read my mind. Wait…I just now figured…how come I can't read your thoughts?'_

'_**Cause I don't want thy to.'**_ Anima answered bluntly.

_'What? Dat's it? Well…can I do dat?'_

'…_**Why doesn't thy find out for thy's self? I don't have time to teach thy about thy's new abilities-' **_

_'New abilities, what new abilities Anima?'_ Kendra asked as she began to sit up in intrigue but was immediately brought back down by Zazie's clinging arms. The magic sensor sweat dropped; Anima, even though it was scientifically impossible, sweat dropped as well.

'_**Thy's mate is quite…'**_

_'I know, I know, but Anima back to da abilities! What can I do?'_

_**'…'**_

_'Anima? Hello?'_

'_**Thy's abilities to…burrow into someone's mind like a pest, a worm, a parasi-'**_

_'Slow ya roll asshole…'_ Kendra growled in annoyance. Anima sighed; he didn't even try to remind Kendra to watch her potty mouth. It was obvious by now that the magic sensor wasn't planning on cleaning up her vocabulary anytime soon.

'…_**Thy seems to have this natural ability to make thy's presence known deep in someone's heart…in their soul. No matter how much they might try to forget thy…the efforts are in vain…'**_ Anima trailed off as his eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Just what was he talking about? Where did all of this come from? Kendra was just as confused as the armored Casanova.

_'…Dat…doesn' make any sense Anima. I don' have any new abilities dat have to do wit like…souls or anythin'?'_

'_**Thy should find out alone…I-I need rest.'**_

_'What?! Rest? Anima, you're a freakin' soul! I don' think sleep applies to ya!'_ Kendra retorted skeptically but it was already too late; Anima separated his thoughts from Kendra's conscious.

"Damn…he a'ways runs away right when I ask somethin' important." The magic sensor whispered under her breath in frustration.

A few moments of having not so generous thoughts about the emotionally confused immortal, Kendra sighed as she rubbed her right temple. _'Calm down Kendra. Don' let it get to ya, he's probably still shaken up from his past life or somethin'.'_ The previously aggravated girl took a few more deep breathes before removing her hand and staring blandly at the ceiling. _'Speakin' of dat, I need to find Negi-Sensei and make dat pactio. Zazie a'ready said she's okay wit it…so there's nothin' else stoppin' me from doin' it.'_

Of course, the magic sensor wasn't looking forward to kissing a ten year old teacher that she's only known for about a week, but this was all for her and Anima's sake…

* * *

><p>Tobacco smoke and sewage waste intoxicated the air; making the usually welcomed city night atmosphere rancid and nearly unbearable for the human lungs. Yet the many civilians of South Carolina coped with it and enjoyed the midnight life to the best of their abilities with the help of society's friend and foe; drugs and alcohol. When those two factors came into play, the nightlong game has begun. It didn't matter if it was weekend or week day; the night will constantly be an endless age for the rowdy pedestrians. The hours will always be used to further consequence the young people's futures and maybe even ruin other's lives unintentionally. But tonight, three lives were going to be taken intentionally.<p>

A deserted and warn out warehouse located in a different district than downtown held two eager personas; one ready to see blood spill and the other ready to taste it.

Deveron stared out a whole gaping through the wall which once used to be a tenth floor window as he leaned against it. His pupils, the rims of them illuminated blood red once again, roved over the distant image of Columbia's city lights. The dark skin boy smirked as he confirmed his suspicions; it seems a lot of party goers were appearing tonight. Perfect; that was just what he needed. Actually, that was probably more convenient for his currently hungry lady friend than him.

The said woman was impatiently pacing around in the empty and darkened room; her strides in step long and quick. The white haired woman's trembling hands were clutched tightly together over her stomach; as if she was trying to appease some kind of pain within her abdomen.

Deveron smirked at his suffering lover and then casually walked over to her. He placed a calloused hand on her shoulder to stop her frantic pacing and eyed the woman in amusement.

"Looks like ya can't hold out any longer love. How about we go and settle down dat hunger of yours…" He only received an urgent nod from her; and that was all he needed to see. Deveron then placed both of his hands on the desperate woman's shoulders and closed his eyes.

"W-what are you…do…doing?" His lady companion stuttered in pain from her aching hunger. Deveron chuckled lowly before responding.

"Relax. It's somethin' I hadn't done in a while. Just stay calm, try not to move too much…and close ya eyes." She obeyed and did as the crimson eyed boy asked; straightening her posture a little. _'Now if I guess right…'bout ten miles maybe?'_ Deveron estimated in his mind before taking a deep breath.

Then, with a small grunt of effort from Deveron, flames began to encircle around the both of them and slowly started to rise in a spherical motion. The white haired woman gasped from the sudden searing heat but tried her best to keep still like she was told. Groans of pain were caught in her throat as the flames whipped against her arms and legs; following Deveron's command to stay still was quite challenging for her.

Soon enough, the two bodies were engulfed in the ball of fire. Little by little, the globe of inferno decreased in size until it completely vanished and left nothing in its wake but a giant circle scorched onto the graveled floor…

* * *

><p>Back in the bustling town full of drunk and crazy bystanders; none of them seemed to notice a red glow in a nearby alley way. It was highly unlikely for them to notice though while they were in their disorientated stupor.<p>

In between those two buildings was a small speck of fire that rapidly grew into that same globe of flames. It swirled against the trash littered ground before the flames slowed down in speed and dispersed; revealing Deveron and his panicking lover.

She quickly threw herself against the wall; unable to hold herself up from the pain of her hunger and burns. Deveron just stared emotionlessly at her and analyzed her actions; almost as if he was waiting for something.

The woman in agony felt like every inch of her body was on fire and her hunger pains were not helping her at all. She slid down the brick wall and collapsed to her knees as she tried to breathe through it. She gritted her teeth as she turned her head and glared angrily at Deveron's calculating face.

"What the hell was that?! Are you trying to kill me you rancid parasite?!" She yelled heatedly at the dark skin boy. Deveron didn't respond to her and just continued to stare blandly at his enraged partner. The red eyed boy smirked inwardly when he saw the woman abruptly stand up and grab him by the collar with her now flared out claws resting against his throat.

"Well…ya seem pretty lively. Da hunger must really be gettin' to ya." Deveron said indifferently as he stared blankly into the woman's searing brown orbs. He received a low growl and a sharp pinch on his throat from the claw puncturing his skin.

"Don't give me that shit Igneus!" She spat dangerously; itching to just cut his head off. The hunger was starting to drive her nuts; if she didn't consume some food in the next three minutes then she wasn't going to be able to hold her temper any longer.

"So how do ya feel?" Deveron asked with a smirk.

"I said don't spout shit! I'm not in the mood for your games!"

"Do ya still feel the burns?"

"What're you talking about?! I…I…" She trailed off as she wondered the same thing; did she still feel the burns? No, she didn't. In fact, her skin felt perfectly fine compared to three minutes ago. Her eyes shifted to ground for a second and then back up to Deveron's; then she looked at the bead of blood rolling down his neck from the wound she caused.

Gasping in realization; she quickly retracted her claws and released Deveron.

"I-I'm sorry…I didn't know what I was thinking. I just-"

"I get it." Deveron chuckled darkly as he wiped the blood off his neck with the back of his hand. He then smiled wickedly at the nervous woman and gently placed his bloody hand on her cheek.

"But I suggest…dat ya keep ya temper in check-" He slapped her across the cheek in a split second; sending her tumbling to the ground a few feet away.

"Before it gets you killed!" Deveron shouted viciously as his eyes shimmered neon red. His injured partner slowly sat up as blood dripped down her chin; her cheek throbbing and already prickling from the numbness. She cautiously rose to her feet and diverted her eyes to the ground in shame.

"I-I'll make sure next time…" Deveron's sneer suddenly vanished and was replaced with a warm smile. He walked up to his bleeding companion and then kissed her; smiling against her trembling lips as he felt her kiss him back. As he pulled away, he nodded to himself in satisfaction when he saw the fear in those brown orbs.

"…I'm sorry I had to do dat…but I do have to remind you where ya place is sometimes…do ya forgive me?" The woman nodded weakly at Deveron's hardly true yet well covered apology. His voice sounded so sincere and completely different than when he struck her.

"Now how 'bout we go ahead and do what we came here to do." Deveron whispered as he tenderly ran his hand along his lover's unharmed cheek. That one statement instantly reminded the white haired woman of her hunger and immediately clutched her stomach in pain.

"Y-yes please…I don't think I c-can go any longer Igneus..." She muttered pleadingly. Without a word, Deveron grabbed onto her arm and dragged her towards the streets full of noisy inhabitants. He then halted at the sidewalk and observed the intoxicated men and women staggering by.

"Which one do ya got a taste for?" He asked without peeling his eyes off the stoned people; it was an entertaining sight to see.

"I'll go for anything at this rate." The starving woman answered as her eyes scanned over the tantalizing flesh before her; it was almost like showing someone who was drowning an oxygen tank but not allowing them to even touch it. A lion who hasn't eaten for days and can't even taste its prey probably would've been a better comparison to how the woman felt right now. She could feel saliva gradually build up in the back of her mouth and gulped in anticipation; this was torture.

"A'ight then, you wait here…I'll get ya some food." Deveron said as he casually walked down the sidewalk in blended into the thick sea of South Carolinians.

He swiftly walked around the more uncoordinated people, unnoticeably scanning over their appearances. He'll have to find a big one with plenty of flesh; the dark skin boy saw how desperate his lover was and knew it would take a lot to satisfy her hunger. Deveron continued to inconspicuously observe the passing citizens, but so far he's only ran into average sized or small built bodies. _'Where are da big people? I know South Carolina got plenty of 'em. So where are they hidin'?'_

Then he found it, or them, to be exact. A group of big and husky drunkards walked pass Deveron; chatting obnoxiously loud about how many chicks they've banged in the last hour, _'which is none ya fuckin' butterballs!'_ Deveron thought with a sneer as he pretended to stop and observe a club's neon sign; trying to appear that he was contemplating whether or not to enter the building. He then faked shrugged his shoulders and started walking the opposite direction as before with his eyes now glued to the group of large men's backs. _'I think I'll make dis quick and easy. She won' be able to hold out for much longer'_ Deveron thought as he slowly closed the distance between him and the boisterous men...

* * *

><p>"Yep guys, I scored big tonight! I ended sleepin' wit three honeys a'ready!" One of the men laughed haughtily as he patted his engorged beer belly.<p>

"Ya fuckin' lyin' Johnny! Who would want to sleep wit ya fat ass?!" Another of the men said as he smugly patted Johnny's hefty stomach. Johnny angrily swatted it away as his two friends laughed at him.

"Ah shut up Randy! Like ya one to talk! I swear someone would'a thought you was pregnant wit dem extra hundred pounds ya carryin' there!" Johnny also playfully whacked Randy's belly; actually sending small waves through his fatty flesh.

"Guys, guys, calm down! There's no need to argue 'bout somethin' so stupid! Besides, we all know dat I'm da only one who actually got some tonight!" The final friend said as he puffed out his chest proudly and then grinned at Johnny and Randy's annoyed glares.

"Fuck you Zack! Ya think ya betta dan us just 'cause ya belly ain't as large as ours?!" Johnny yelled angrily as he shoved Zack. It seems the alcohol was finally starting to affect them because Zack was then about to jump at Johnny with his fist reeled back. Luckily, Randy stood in between the two angered men and tried to keep them separated.

"Fuck guys, settle down! I'm not in da mood for dis shit! We're supposed to be scorin' some women not fuckin' each otha up!"

"…so you're da sensible one huh? Good, I'll give ya da privilege of dyin' first." A voice said in mock impressment as his hand suddenly gripped Randy's shoulder. Randy turned around to face Deveron and sneered at the shorter boy.

"Da fuck ya talkin' to shrimp?! Don' mess wit da big boys-"The rest of his sentence was caught off by a silent shriek of pain as a hand was shoved clean into his abdomen. He could feel the fingers penetrate past his skin and into his organs. Before Randy's mind could fully comprehend the amount of pain he was in, Deveron violently shoved his hand farther until he fully skewered Randy onto his entire arm.

"Gyaaahhhh!" Johnny and Zack yelled in terror as they watched their friend writhe in pain before finally falling limp on the dark skin boy's arm. Deveron was about to shove the dead weight off his arm but then halted.

"Oh yeah. She likes her food cooked huh?" He said to himself as then sparks and flames began to flare out from Randy's mouth, nostrils, ears, and around his large wound. After that, Deveron used his other arm to push the heavy man's body off and drop him onto the cement but then grunted in disgust as Randy's intestines clung to him. Deveron shook off the offending organ with a huff, _'fuckin' disgustin'...'_

"There…cooked medium rare." Deveron laughed almost maniacally at his own pun and then stared at the two frozen men. Zack and Johnny's legs were paralyzed in fear; unable to run away under Deveron's piercing red ringed eyes as they shined brightly in the midnight darkness.

"W-w-what d-da fuck a-are you?! A demon?!" Johnny muttered in fear as Deveron leisurely paced towards them.

"Not a demon, but close…" He held up both of his hands at the men and then flashed a bone chilling smile. The tips of his fingers began to shoot sparks until small flames kindled and whipped around wildly.

"I'm Igneus Misericordia…an immortal being!" Ear splitting screams rung throughout the city streets and then was followed by the fizzing sound of fire being distinguished. Silence immediately followed as it filled the avenues empty of people and throughout the deserted area the men unwarily wondered into.

Deveron sighed in disappointment as he stared at the two men who were burnt to a crisp; he didn't mean to scorch them that badly. His partner didn't like her food burnt.

So with a shrug of indifference, he closed his eyes and once again summoned his transporting ball of fire. This time he made sure to enclose the three bodies inside the sphere along with him and then died out from existence…

* * *

><p>The woman was once again pacing frantically in the dark alley; hugging her arms and trembling more violently than before. She couldn't take this for much longer; the woman was starving and her demon instincts were clawing at her sanity. She could slowly yet surely feel her restraint slip away as her canine teeth began to elongate and prick her lower lip. <em>'Where is he?! I can't take this waiting any longer!'<em>

Just then, her frantic pleas were answered as a recognizable ball of fire suddenly appeared next to her. The white haired woman's eyes glinted when she saw the three juicy bodies lying before Deveron's feet as the flames withdrawn from each other. Deveron had his arms held wide open as if he was presenting a present to the desperate woman and then said conceitedly.

"Dinner is served. Steak cooked medium rare wit da fat uncut and two butterballs on da side." Deveron managed to jump back in time before his toes were caught in the whirlwind of teeth and claws as his partner wildly ripped the bodies' flesh off its bones. Deveron turned around as soon as he saw here sloppily stuff muscle tissue in her mouth and then coughed into his fist. He wasn't exactly fond of watching the sight.

"Make sure ya brush ya teeth and gargle once we get back to our place, a'ight?" Deveron only got a grunt of approval from the feasting girl in between sloshes of body fluids spilling from the putrid smelling carcasses. _'Great, now I'll think 'bout dat da next time I kiss her.'_ Deveron thought as he rolled his eyes.

"Ya better not expect me to clean up ya mess either. Dat's your responsibility." He once again only received a grunt. Deveron sighed to himself as he shook his head. _'Ya a'ways was a messy eater...what am I gonna do wit you Poyo?'_…

* * *

><p>Setsuna hurriedly paced down the halls as she continued to mentally kick herself for letting so much time slip past her.<p>

Her Ojou-sama's soothing powers was a force to be reckoned with; the swordswoman already knew this and tried her best to develop some kind of resistance against it. It wasn't like Setsuna hated having a good time with Konoka, but it would always easily distract the bashful bodyguard and this was a perfect example.

Setsuna had nearly forgotten that Kendra asked her to meet up today. _'And it's already seven thirty…Kendra-San's probably been waiting for hours now.'_

Suddenly, Setsuna slowed down her walking pace; her onyx eyes glinting with confusion and curiosity. _'Wait, Kendra-San said she wanted to give me something…I don't know if I should feel grateful or suspicious about this.'_ Setsuna sweat dropped.

It wasn't like the Hanyou didn't trust the magic sensor, but Kendra has already taken a fond liking to teasing her; and Kendra didn't tease lightly either. _'Err…i-it's probably nothing too important. It's not like Kendra-San would do anything too drastic…I think.'_ Setsuna thought nervously.

The swordswoman had to bring these thoughts to a halt however as she saw Kendra's room door a few feet ahead. Setsuna's knuckles meet the door surface twice but she didn't hear anything for a few seconds. She knocked again; this time she did hear something.

"…comin'…" Kendra's distant voice responded. Setsuna then heard a shuffling noise and then grunts of…effort? Frustration? Setsuna wasn't quite sure.

"…Jesus Zazie…c'mon, let go a'ready…" There were more grunts and shuffles.

"A'ight, seriousl-too tight! Too tight, too tight, too tight! Give, give, give, I give dammit!" Setsuna deadpanned at the door; just what the hell was Kendra doing in there?

Finally, after thirty seconds of Kendra tapping out to the half demon's unconscious strangle hold, the door swung open. Setsuna actually had to stifle giggle as she watched Kendra try to appear as normal as possible despite her disheveled clothes and small coughs from her recent suffocation.

"Y-(cough!)…Yo" Kendra greeted.

"Hello Kendra-San. You look…well…" Setsuna smirked at Kendra's sarcastic smile.

"Oh yeah, I feel freakin' amazin' let me tell ya." The magic sensor retorted as she rolled her eyes at her visitor.

"Come in…but try to be quiet, a'ight?" Kendra said as she raised a finger over her lips and stepped aside to let Setsuna in. Setsuna looked past Kendra to see Zazie asleep on her bed, nodded in understanding, and stealthily entered the room; easily making her footsteps seem as light as possible. The magic sensor raised an eyebrow in amusement at Setsuna's over the top creeping around.

"I said be quiet, not pretend to be a stalker." Kendra chuckled softly as she saw a blush sneaking its way across Setsuna's cheeks. The flustered Hanyou dropped the stealth façade and adjusted her uniform collar; an unintentional nervous habit that Setsuna picked up in the past.

"I-I wasn't trying to be-"

"Ya still standin'?" Kendra interrupted as she looked over her shoulder and back at Setsuna. _'When did she get on the couch?'_ Setsuna wondered as she broke out in a cold sweat, _'maybe this Anima person is slowly starting to affect her somehow-'_

"Do ya like to stand or somethin'? …Bodyguards, I'll neva understand 'em." Kendra said as she shook her head in mock bafflement. That comment only helped to darken Setsuna's blush. She then briskly shuffled over to the couch and sat next to Kendra; her eyes avoiding those scheming hazel orbs.

Setsuna wasn't quite sure how to explain it; but she felt that if she made eye contact with Kendra while she was in a vulnerable state like this, then it would only motivate Kendra to tease her even more.

So, Setsuna settled for examining the couch fabric as she scanned her brain over for the lines she's been rehearsing during her walk over to Kendra's dorm.

"Kendra-San…I'm sorry that I was late to arrive at your dorm. I would've come earlier but there were some errands that I had to run."

"Eh? Don' worry 'bout dat. It ain't like we had a scheduled time to meet or anythin'." Kendra responded as she stretched and casually leaned back into the comfy sofa.

"And you'll be like da fourth person I told dis too…but take a freakin' chill pill a'ready. You and a whole bunch of other people in Japan are just too strict…just sayin'." Setsuna stared confusingly at Kendra; she understood what the magic sensor said, but she wasn't quite sure what a chill pill was.

It wasn't a southern slang term or anything; the swordswoman just didn't have the most modernized vocabulary like everyone else in 3-A. The Hanyou used her common sense though and just figured it had something to do with relaxing.

"Err, I'll keep that in mind Kendra-San." Kendra then immediately sat forward and eyed Setsuna blankly. Setsuna didn't like that; Kendra was hiding her emotions all of a sudden. There were only two reasons that she would do that right now. Either the magic sensor just unconsciously wore her bored mask again…or Kendra was trying to hide an expression from Setsuna; a devious expression.

"W-what?" Setsuna muttered and then, without her even intending to but being too late to catch herself, looked Kendra in the eyes. _'Dammit!'_ Setsuna gave the transfer student an opportunity.

"…'Bout dat whole errands thing…are you sure it wasn' just errands and not a 'lil…" The magic sensor then smiled wickedly as she made a spanking motion with her hands. Setsuna's eyes expanded to twice its original size and then blushed scarlet red.

"N-n-n-n-no! I did NOT d-do that-"The embarrassed Hanyou's shrieks were cut off as Kendra shoved a couch pillow in Setsuna's face. Setsuna muffled and thrashed in complaint as she tried to wrestle the pillow off her face. Kendra didn't let up though; she knew if she removed that pillow, Setsuna's panicked tone would wake Zazie.

"Chill pill sword girl! Chill pill! Calm down before ya wake Zazie!" The magic sensor hissed under her breath. Setsuna successfully managed to remove the pillow from her face; mouth tight in anger and glaring at Kendra as a vein pulsated on her forehead.

"You were suffocating me!" The upset bodyguard spat as quietly as she could behind her annoyance.

"Oh" Kendra replied blandly.

"My bad" Setsuna's eyes narrowed at the magic sensor's indifference.

"That's all I get? 'Oh' and 'my bad'?"

"Oh, my bad, dat was my fault…betta?" Kendra added with a shrug. Her hazel eyes glinted with mischief before quickly disappearing; Setsuna didn't miss this but instead of going off on the magic sensor she just took a deep breath while resting her index and middle finger on her right temple.

"…Yes…that was way better Kendra-San." Setsuna said sarcastically and then exhaled deeply.

"Why did you ask me to come over anyways?" Kendra's liveliness seemed to spring up after hearing that question and immediately walked over to her bedside table.

Setsuna watched curiously as Kendra opened the table drawers and searched through them. Kendra kept scrambling through her belongings until she finally felt her hand brush against plastic and pulled it out for Setsuna to see.

"I wanted to give ya dis." Setsuna switched her blank stare between the clear CD case and Kendra's slightly proud grin and then sighed in defeat.

"Okay, I give up. What is it?" The swordswoman leaned on the arm of the couch as Kendra sat back down next to her and showed Setsuna the back of the case.

"How good is ya English?" Kendra asked when she didn't get an immediate reaction out of her friend.

"When you've been a bodyguard for the Konoe family as long as I have, there are certain things you have to advance in; speaking English was definitely one of them…but uh…does that really say-"

"Sexiest songs; dis is a CD I made wit all my favorite…well…sexy songs on it." Kendra answered and then smirked even wider as a light pink blush rose on Setsuna's cheeks. The flustered Hanyou waved a hand dismissively as she looked away from the not-so-innocent CD.

"S-so why are you showing me that? I-I'm not really…interested in that type of musi-"

"Ya don' know unless ya listen to it. C'mon, give it a shot swords girl. Besides…I think it could help ya wit you know what." Kendra once again did the spanking motion as her hazel eyes gleamed impishly at Setsuna's rapidly rising blush.

"KEN-I mean…." Setsuna started loudly but then immediately hushed as she heard Zazie groan and stir around in the bed. The swordswoman and magic sensor were frozen still but then relaxed as the half demon settled down again.

"Kendra-San…I-I've already t-told you that I am n-not doing…those…kind of things w-with K-Konochan." Setsuna half hissed, half whispered.

"I don' get why you deny it so much. It ain't like I'm gonna judge ya if ya do those kinda things with Konoe-San; hell I mean she's your girlfriend." Kendra countered calmly and then once again shoved the CD case in Setsuna's face.

"All I want ya to do is just listen to dis whenever ya get da chance to; a'ight? And after dat, I need ya to do me another favor." The Konoe bodyguard reluctantly took the CD case from Kendra while unnoticeably taking a quick scan over the song titles. She blushed burgundy, _'e-even the titles are absurdly suggestive! How could I possibly like this?!'_ Setsuna thought as the hair on the back of her neck stood from how graphic these words were; just what the hell does Kendra listen to?

"So um…what's the other favor?"

"Meet me in my room and bring da wicked witch wit ya Friday after school."

"Wicked…witch?"

"Blow Horn girl."

"I-I'm sorry, I don't know who you're…" Setsuna trailed off as Kendra deadpanned at her and then sweat dropped as she came to the realization of who the transfer student was talking about.

"…ah…you mean Asuna-San."

"Ding, ding, ding, correct. And here's ya prize." Kendra slowly raised her right fist and gently bonked Setsuna on the head.

There were two reactions the magic sensor expected out of this. One was that the Hanyou would swat away her fist and glare at her in annoyance. The other outcome could be that Setsuna would just stare blankly at Kendra; almost challenging her to do that again and see how different the results would be. Neither of these conclusions happened though.

Instead; Kendra received a mildly shocked and confused stare from Setsuna with her mouth slightly agape.

"…what?" The magic sensor questioned as she quirked an eyebrow.

"…fast…way too fast…" Setsuna muttered as she continued to stare at Kendra; it must've been a big shock if she hasn't even removed the magic sensor's fist.

"Fast? Da hell ya talkin' 'bout? I did dat pretty damn slow on purpose ya know." Setsuna shook her head; Kendra's fist still attached to it and moving back and forth as well. As comical of a moment this was, the magic sensor knew that now wasn't the time to comment about it and simply kept her mouth shut.

"No, no, I'm serious. I didn't even see you move your arm…and I've been training my ability to track fast movements all my life; that's saying something Kendra-San." Finally, Kendra removed her hand from Setsuna's head and stared at it with a calculating expression. She then flexed her hand open and closed a few times; it didn't feel any different to her and it seemed to be moving at average speed.

"I don' know Setsuna-San…maybe all dat blood rushin' to ya head has finally caught up wit ya." Kendra almost allowed a smirk to appear across her face but then quickly erased it; Setsuna was not amused.

"Kendra-San, this is no time for jokes. I think that…person or soul; I'm not sure what to call it, within you is starting to affect your senses. In fact, the same thing happened earlier when you asked me to sit on the couch; why else would I just stand in the middle of the room like a statue? Because I didn't! You were just moving at incredible speeds-"Setsuna immediately stopped her ranting as she realized Kendra's hazel eyes were glazed over and practically looking through her; not at her. A vein pulsated on the swordswoman's head and then snapped her fingers in front of the dazed girl's face.

"I'm here…I just got bored after ya said somethin' 'bout senses or whateva…" Kendra muttered as she pushed Setsuna's snapping fingers away.

"Please pay attention Kendra-San! This is really important-"

"Shh!" Kendra hushed harshly as she once again raised a finger to her lips; Setsuna rolled her eyes but complied and continued to scold in a lower volume.

"This is important…please…just cooperate and think about this. I really think this Anima person is starting to physically affect you. Your senses in speed have heightened significantly."

"Okay…so how come it's only happenin' randomly? Maybe it was just a fluke or somethin'." The magic sensor leaned back onto the couch while unconsciously running a hand through her black locks.

"If your movements were so fast that even I couldn't follow it…then it wasn't just some fluke." Setsuna said with a serious tone; Kendra sighed after seeing how stern the bodyguard was acting and decided that she's probably had enough fun for now. It was about time to genuinely think about this little dilemma.

"So…it just happens randomly…but I don' even notice it? Dat ain't good. What if I do it in front of people who don' know  
>'bout magic?"<p>

"You would have to stay out of public sight…but what about school-"

"Yeah ya ain't gotta worry 'bout dat." Kendra interrupted sheepishly. Setsuna's eyebrows scrunched up in confusion.

"Why's that?"

"...I'm kinda suspended for five days…and stuff…" Kendra trailed off as her hazel orbs looked past Setsuna's shocked ones.

"S…suspended? You've only been going here for about a week! What did you do?!" Setsuna sputtered.

"Ah, calm down. It ain't no big deal, besides, it's none of ya business. Anyways, we're gettin' off track. So yeah…I could lay low for a lil while 'n figure out what's happenin' to me. Although…I doubt I could learn 'bout dis senses thing if I just lay 'round in my room all day." Kendra stared at the carpet floor in deep thought.

She did want to learn how to neutralize this new ability and use it properly, but she didn't forget what Anima said before. If she kept using Anima's powers, then it'll only make it easier for the armored immortal to gain control over her mind.

"So what do you plan to do about this?" Setsuna asked as she unconsciously rubbed her fingers along the CD case's smooth plastic surface.

"…bite-size." Kendra shifted her vision back up and smirked at Setsuna.

"Who is-"

"Evangeline-San; Zazie told me dat 'lil vamp can help out wit dis kinda stuff. I should just go to her." Setsuna stood up and then dusted off her uniform skirt.

"Well, it's a reasonable point to start. Make sure you don't go alone though…Evangeline-San has a taste for blood with highly condensed levels of magic energy…you definitely have that Kendra-San." Setsuna knew what she was talking about since she's seen and even experienced the unpleasantness of Evangeline's fangs sinking into her neck for 'pay'. The swordswoman shuddered at those memories. Kendra scoffed at the Hanyou's warning and then said confidently.

"Whateva, if dat lil bat try and get near me…garlic is gonna get shoved up her ass." Setsuna wasn't quite sure how to respond to that; should she support this train of thinking?

"Err…right. Well, I-I think I'll go now. And I'll see you again Friday with uh…the Wicked Witch there too…after school in here, right?" Setsuna recapped as she opened the door. Kendra nodded.

"Yeah…and don' forget ya homework. Tonight's assignment is to listen to dat CD and don' chicken out after ya listen to thirty seconds of da first song either."

"Hai, hai" Setsuna replied in exasperation before leaving and closing the door behind her.

"Holla…" Kendra muttered long after the door had closed; she knew Setsuna wouldn't have heard, but her thoughts were a little distracted at the moment and saying that term of departure was almost second nature for the transfer student. The magic sensor just sat on the couch for several seconds; fingers casually tapping on her knees and taking a few glances behind her at her currently occupied bed.

Out of nowhere, Kendra asked a question.

"Ya know you can stop fakin' now…right?" A smile formed on her lips as she heard the bed sheets ruffle behind her and light steps that could only belong to an acrobat come towards her. The space next to Kendra was now filled in with her white haired angel; her deep brown eyes scanning over the magic sensor worriedly. The dark skin girl smiled warmly at Zazie.

"Dependin' on da looks ya givin' me…ya heard da entire conversation. You're a pretty good actor, I almost didn' realize you were actually awake."

"…what gave me away?" The tan demon asked with half of her attention; her mind too busy on comprehending the current situation with Kendra's new ability.

"Well, ya is da jealous type…and I felt a 'lil of dat jealous aura off of ya while I was jokin' 'round wit swords girl." The tattooed girl flinched after hearing this; she thought she was keeping that feeling in check really well, _'Kendra must be getting better at sensing magic energy.'_ The said girl grinned somewhat evilly and then scooted closer to Zazie.

"Awww, don' be jealous babe, you know I only belong to you, well…ya haven' really taken me...but I can change dat-" Zazie yelped in surprise when she felt a pair of hands grab hold of her waist and quickly pull her into Kendra's lap. The tattooed demon blushed and was about to question Kendra's actions but relaxed immediately as she felt the dark skin girl's arms encircle around her abdomen to cuddle closer to her. Zazie leaned back into the embrace as the magic sensor placed her chin on Zazie's right shoulder. The relaxation didn't last too long for Zazie because she then felt the transfer student's breath tickle her ear.

"So how 'bout it? Ya ready to take me and make all of me yours for da keepin'?" _'More than anything!'_

"K-Kendra, please d-don't tease me r…right now." Zazie pleaded; her hands clinching Kendra's arms to keep away those pesky thoughts that were slowly returning from the twisted and more lustful side of her brain. Zazie's spine went rigid as she felt Kendra plant butterfly kisses along her right cheek and then down her jaw. _'Stay strong Zazie…Kendra's pulling you right into her trap! Don't fall for it…don't fall for it…don't fall for…don't fall…who am I kidding?!'_ The half demon thought as she abruptly turned around in Kendra's embrace and wrapped her arms around her girlfriend's neck.

"W-whoa! What're you-mmmph!" Kendra's sentence was cut short as a pair of lips was roughly pressed against her own. The surprise combined with the force behind the kiss almost sent Kendra falling back on the couch but she quickly held herself up by grabbing the arm of the couch.

To say that the magic sensor was a little surprised would be an understatement; she wasn't used to this. Usually, the transfer student would be the initiator, but then again, Zazie did have her moments when the boldness within her would breakthrough. So, only after two seconds tops of sitting still with her eyes wide open, Kendra began to kiss back just as passionately; her hands slipping around to Zazie's back. Kendra smiled inwardly as she felt Zazie readjust her position so that she was straddling the magic sensor's lap without breaking lip contact.

Who cared about self-control anymore? If you feel something, act on it. Kendra was the one who provoked those demon instincts anyways. Zazie's untamed side screamed these thoughts in her mind over and over; feeling bliss from finally breaking the restraints once more.

Kendra would be a dishonest idiot to say that she wasn't enjoying this either, but she did feel mildly shocked when she felt Zazie's tongue run along her bottom lip; pleading for entrance. Kendra undoubtedly obliged though and peeled her lips apart for that addictive warm muscle's access. Zazie eagerly stuck her tongue in frantically searching for the other; the tan demon wasn't even sure what she was doing anymore. She's already given in to her animalistic needs; so her entire body was practically running what she wanted to do or feel off of impulse.

Not too much longer was it until Zazie had one of those impulses as her hands twitched in longing to explore more of Kendra. The tan demon's hands slowly unwounded Kendra's neck and then tenderly started massaging her shoulders. Then they progressed to Kendra's back as her hands brushed in an up and down motion; craving to memorize more of the magic sensor's figure.

A small, almost unnoticeable voice in the back of Zazie's head spoke up for a mere second; suggesting how what she was about to do next was taking it a step too far. This was her human rationality; but Zazie didn't listen to it. Not when she was this wrapped up in enjoying the magic sensor's affections; there was no way she was stopping unless Kendra stopped her herself. Seeing how Kendra hasn't, Zazie was willing to take a risk. Carefully, Zazie brought her hands from around Kendra's back to rest on her stomach and then only moved a centimeter closer to Zazie's destination.

It wasn't an ignored fact about Kendra's body; she was pretty sure everyone else in 3-A realized this about the magic sensor as well but probably didn't mention it around her out of fear. But it didn't stop Zazie from occasionally thinking about it; Kendra, to put it lightly, was a very well-endowed girl. The half demon was pretty sure her size could compete with Kazumi's; but that could be found out another time. There was only one thing Zazie wanted to find out right now was how far she could go without Kendra's protest.

Her tan hands flinched for a millisecond before leisurely making its way up; stopping just below their destination. Kendra's eyebrows furrowed slightly; Zazie's hands seemed like they were about to touch a place they haven't before. _'No way…is she actuall-whoa!'_ Kendra's thoughts turned to nervous panic as she felt Zazie's fingertips gently brush along her chest; tracing the outline before cupping them softly.

Unfortunately for Zazie, that's when Kendra had to stop this all together. The magic sensor pulled away from the kiss; her cheeks flushed and eyes wide as saucer plates as she held onto Zazie's wrists. Kendra's eyes widen even more as she actually heard a small growl of aggravation from Zazie as her misty brown eyes scanned over Kendra hungrily. _'Holy shit she's serious!'_ Kendra thought as she timidly tried to writhe out from under the currently feral girl.

"C-calm down babe…it's okay…w-we can still kiss and everything…but I think we should wait before we starting getting…really intimate. A-alright? I don't think I'm quite ready for this Zazie…please…" Kendra said soothingly as she successfully managed to sit up with Zazie leaning away from her; the half demon's hands were still resting on Kendra's thighs and her eyes didn't lose that craving look though.

The dark skin girl tried to smile warmly at Zazie, which was hard since she was still recovering from the shock of someone grabbing her breast and by Zazie of all people; that was probably the boldest move Zazie has ever pulled. Zazie however, hasn't quite snapped out of her trance and her impulses were still in control. Right now, a blushing Kendra was a rare and extremely attractive sight for her.

"Kendra…" The magic sensor tensed up as she watched Zazie creep closer to her again and gulped. _'Aw shit, dis ain't workin'! Dammit! Ummm, I don' wanna do dis, but I don' think there's any other way.'_ Kendra inwardly apologized in advance for what she was about to do to her lover.

Zazie's face came an inch away from Kendra's; her lips wanting to taste the magic sensor's own some more. But then she halted her actions as she saw Kendra slowly raise her right hand to the half demon's forehead.

THWACK! THWACK! THWACK!

Kendra flicked Zazie's head rather harshly three times in a row.

"Itai! Itai…itai…itai…" Zazie whined as she delicately rubbed her aching head. Kendra sighed in relief as she saw the crazed look in Zazie's eyes disappear, _'whew! Dat was close…I could've sworn I was gonna lose my virginity…'_ Zazie stared at the magic sensor with her big brown eyes about ready to spring a leak; this only made Kendra feel guiltier.

"Sorry…but I had to do somethin'. You was startin' to get a 'lil carried away just now so…yeah…" Kendra trailed off as she observed Zazie continuing to try and soothe the pain, _'did I hit her dat hard? I mean, she's part demon. It'll take a lot to hurt her…don' tell me…'_

"Zazie…d-did I really hit ya dat hard?" Kendra asked nervously. Zazie could only pout lightly while nodding head before returning to nursing her wound.

"But I only did three 'lil flicks, dat's all." Zazie abruptly stopped rubbing her forehead and eyed Kendra confusingly.

"Three? Didn't you only flick me onc-oh no…" Kendra nodded as Zazie caught on to what she was thinking. Her new ability was making more constant appearances; this was not good news at all.

"I don' think it's just da speed either Zazie. My flick should've stung for like a secon'! But ya actually got a red mark there and it ain't dissappearin' anytime soon."

"So…your natural strength was affected as well." Zazie concluded as her brown orbs once again looked upon Kendra with worry.

"Right…I think I should go see half pint tomorrow. Will ya go wit me?" The magic sensor asked while leaning forward; her hazel eyes glued to the spot where she flicked her girlfriend. Kendra really didn't like having to do that to her. Zazie followed Kendra's track of vision and cracked a small smile.

"Of course I'll go, and don't worry about this Kendra. I'm half demon remember? It won't take long for this to heal…so don't blame yourself for this, okay?" Kendra was about to speak up in protest but ceased as she felt the tattooed girl intertwine her fingers with the magic sensor's. A guilty pair of hazel spheres searched for sincere forgiveness within auburn ones; there was no doubt that Kendra found what she was looking for and gradually smiled back.

"A'ight, I get it. It just looks like it really hurt, ya know? And you know I would neva wanna hurt ya…sure there ain't nothin' ya want for compensation?" Kendra smirked as she saw Zazie place a finger on her chin and looked towards the ceiling in a contemplating manner.

"Hmmm, I don't know...what do you suggest?" The tan demon asked; feigning ignorance and pretending she hasn't noticed the knowing smirk on Kendra's face. Without hesitation, Kendra delivered a lingering and sweet kiss on Zazie's lips. After a solid twenty seconds, Kendra pulled away and felt an egotistical pride well up in her as she gazed upon Zazie's dazed yet satisfied expression.

"…how 'bout dat?" The beaming magic sensor received a simple nod from Zazie; a rosy pink blush also gracing her tan cheeks. Kendra chuckled quietly as she carefully rested her forehead against Zazie's; trying to avoid making contact with her small injury.

"…Ya know what?"

"Hm?"

"I love you…I always had and it's not going to change…never."

"I love you too Kendra, ever since the first time I met you in those woods, when I first became your best friend…and from then on out, it was always just you." Zazie replied lovingly as she closed her eyes for a mere second to reminisce on the memory of their first meeting. Kendra's thoughts were roaming over the same memories as well.

It wasn't exactly the most common way to meet the love of someone's life; but Kendra would still hold that precious moment within her heart forever. That day in the storm was important to the transfer student for more reasons than one. Not only was it day that Kendra met Zazie, but it was also the day she first learned of her abilities, the day she made a best friend, and the day her parents finally showed they cared about her.

Suddenly, Kendra leaned away from Zazie and stared down sadly; that's right, her father was still in a coma. _'I gotta make sure to call today and see how he's doin'.'_

"What's wrong?" Zazie asked worriedly as she gently squeezed Kendra's hand. That seemed to snap Kendra out of her brief depressed trance as her previously distraught hazel eyes once again lit up with pleasantness.

"I'm fine. I just remembered dat…my dad is still in a coma. I usually call Deveron so he can update me on dad's health 'n all." Kendra replied as she stood from the couch and picked up her phone from the bedside table. She then sat on her bed and scrolled down her contacts list until she reached Deveron's name. Zazie left the couch and sat next to Kendra.

She knew how much Kendra loved her father and she was pretty sure the magic sensor's emotions were on a roller coaster when it came to him. As Kendra pressed the call button and pressed the phone to her ear, Zazie once again took hold of the dark skin girl's hand for future comfort. Kendra smiled and gently squeezed back as a form of thanks. Five rings later, Deveron finally answered the phone; but Kendra noticed something was off with her friend's voice. It sounded breathier; like the dark skin boy was tired or having a hard time to breathe in some stuffy atmosphere.

"Yo." He greeted casually.

"Hey Deveron…just callin' to see how dad's doin'."

"He's still in a coma Kendra. There hasn' been any changes wit him at all." Kendra sighed dejectedly at this.

"Damn…well, what 'bout mom? Has she been doin' okay? Ya think she'd be okay wit me talkin' to her-"

"I wouldn' do dat if I were you" Deveron interrupted in a suddenly stern tone. Kendra sat up straight as her eyebrows scrunched up in suspicion.

"Why not? She don' wanna talk wit me or somethin'?"

"Ya mom is takin' dis whole situation pretty bad Kendra…ya know she hasn' left the hospital once yet? Even da doctors couldn' convince to leave 'n go home to get some rest. She just slept on da damn chairs wit a blanket. And then she won' talk wit anyone…she just keeps goin' on 'bout crazy stuff and how…um…" Deveron trailed off nervously.

"…and how what?" Kendra repeated; she became even more anxious as Deveron let out a deep sigh.

"…she's um…been goin' on 'bout how it was…your fault…and dat…dat if it wasn' for you leavin' dem behind to take care of themselves…den things would've turned out…differently and your dad wouldn' be like dis…"

"…" There was long and tense silence over the phone line. Kendra's eyes were shimmering with a layer of unshed tears; the magic sensor already blamed herself for her dad's predicament when she first heard about it. But now that she knew her mother was also blaming her for this, a strong sense of betrayal and guilt was growing in the pit of Kendra's stomach.

"…I'm sorry Kendra…but just…give ya mom some space so she can get back to her senses…okay?" Deveron asked tiredly.

"...fine…dat's all I wanna know. I'll talk to ya another time, holla…" Kendra replied dully; afraid to use emotion in her tone from how turbulent and confused her heart felt. _'my mom…blames me…she really thinks it's my…fault…'_

"Holla Ken-"

"But can ya do me one favor Deveron?"

"Yeah?"

"…tell her dat I neva meant to cause any trouble…and dat I love my father no matter what she says…"

"…I will…"

"Thank you…holla."

"Holla." Kendra hung up phone and had to stop herself from simply smashing it into the wall. Her mother, of all people, was blaming her for their family crisis. The magic sensor had never felt so much disgust towards her mother; she practically loves the woman to pieces. But then this happens and what does she get? The blame, the responsibility, the fault…from the woman who gave her life.

Kendra knew that it was normal for a person to make absurd assumptions while in a stake of shock; but she knew her mother wouldn't go so far. Well, at least she thought she knew; Kendra wasn't even sure if that really was her mother that Deveron was talking about.

Before Kendra could bury herself any farther into her boiling anger; Zazie brought Kendra in to a comforting hug and rested the magic sensor's head on her shoulder.

"Shhh. It's okay…it's okay…I'm here for you…" The tan demon cooed soothingly as she rubbed Kendra's back. The magic sensor never even noticed that she began to shed a few tears of frustration; but she didn't even attempt to wipe them away. She needed the comfort; she needed Zazie's help to guide her through yet another state of shock caused by her family…

* * *

><p>"Whew boy! I gotta feelin' dat Kendra ain't gonna be sleepin' well for da next few days!" Deveron said smugly as she flipped his phone closed and tossed it aside. He stretched his arms vigorously as he stood in the middle of a small, stuffy, and dark room. The only source of light being an old light bulb attached to the crumbling ceiling and slowly swinging from side to side.<p>

Deveron then crouched down in front of two exhausted and terrified silhouettes just barely illuminated. The rims of Deveron's eyes glowed blood red; brightening the room even better than the almost useless light bulb. The two unknown figures flinched from the new light but then frantically scooted away from the source; pining themselves against the dirty wall. Deveron tilted his head in amusement at their horrified expressions and then chuckled darkly.

"Awww, what's wrong? Ya ain't happy to see me? Ya should be…'cause I got a message for ya Mrs. Johnson…it's from ya daughter." Shon flinched after hearing her name coming out of the evil persona's mouth but then faced him fully after mentioning Kendra.

"I swear…if you touch my baby I'll kill you!" Shon spat angrily but failing to intimidate Deveron in the slightest; the dark skin boy actually smiled pridefully at the mother's boldness and clapped playfully.

"Good, good! See, dis is how a mother acts! Standin' up for their kids even though it could get dem killed! Good job Kendra's mom! Anyways, Kendra said dat she neva meant to cause any trouble and dat she'll always love her dad no matter what you say!" Shon and the person next to her rose up to their knees; unable to do anything else with their arms tied behind their backs by two inch thick ropes and sneered in outrage at the mocking boy.

Deveron however, held up his right hand and a large flame flared out from it; just barely skimming the two's skin before they jumped back as fast as they could.

"Na-ah-ah, don' get too hopeful now just 'cause I haven' killed ya yet. Well…I actually could kill you Kendra's mom…" Deveron moved his blazing hand towards Shon as the ball of fire whipped around and snapped wildly at her.

"…but I won'…I think I could use you as back up somehow. But you…" He then brought his flaming hand in front of the other individual.

"I definitely need you. You're the key piece to dis entire plan…don' it feel great to be so useful…Kendra's dad?" Deveron smiled wickedly as he watched Sam try to move as far away from the searing heat as possible but finding it almost infeasible with his back already flat to the wall.

"Ya fuckin' brat! I should chop off your ba-"

"Big words from a guy who's on da end of a flame." Deveron stated casually as he motioned his hand closer to Sam's face and just barely grazed his left cheek. Sam bit his tongue and drew blood as he held in his scream of pain from the burn. There was no way in hell he was going to show the weakness and pain Deveron craved to see.

"Oh? Tough guy, I see why Kendra looks up to ya so much." Deveron finally pulled his hand away and stood up from his crouching position.

"Hmmm, let me think. Y'all have been in here for what, two…two 'n a half days? Dat's a long time to go without food. So I figured I'd be generous and get y'all dis." Deveron pulled out a Twinkie from his pocket and threw it in front of Kendra's parents. The both eyeballed the plastic wrapped treat with slight hunger but then looked up at Deveron angrily.

"And how da hell do ya expect us to open it wit our hands tied like dis?!" Sam shouted as he further proved his point by trying to break his bonds but failing miserably. Deveron turned on his heels while waving dismissively at his two prisoners.

"Da hell if I care. Y'all can figure it out ya damn selves." Sam and Shon stood on their feet and ran towards the boy; which wasn't very fast due to their lack of energy after going days without food.

"Wait! Ya can' possibly be ser-"

"Yep!" Deveron closed the splintered door and locked the knob with a key; a cheeky smile plastered on his face all the while.

"Man, I just love fuckin' wit 'em and gettin' on their nerves!" The dark skin boy walked down the hallways of the run down warehouse; his sinister cackle echoing through the ten leveled building…

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><p>...daaaaang...a Twinkie...that you can't unwrap?! D: THAT'S SO EVIL! T-T<p>

Anyways, that's all for now and I did promise that a little bit would go down in this chapter, did I meet your expectations? Tell me in the reviews! So until then...please...

CLICK THE BLUE BUTTON! -.-


	21. Chapter 21

Yayyyy! I'm back! Okay, this chapter isn't as long as the last few but I feel pretty good about this one! X) OH YEAH! I always meant to put this but I always forgot. It's a bit late, but I wanted to just say that this is my first fanfic ever. :P So I hope that you treat me kindly in the reviews. :)

_'(Normal, present time thoughts)'_

_**'(Thoughts in flashback)'**_

Also, I decided not to put Anima's voice in bold and italiacs because I only wanted to do that when his voice was coming from within Kendra. But in this flashback, he's not even dead yet. Just wanted to clear that up for you guys.

Disclaimer: I do not own Negima or any of its characters.

Now please, enjoy the chapter! XD

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><p><strong>Chapter 21<strong>

As the day was reaching its resting hours, Kendra had asked Zazie if she wanted to stay over for the night. Both parties had entirely different thoughts on this proposition; Kendra just wanted to have a sleep over with the tan demon like they used to. It wasn't like the magic sensor had to get up early for school tomorrow anyways.

Zazie, on the other hand, had obviously mistaken Kendra's true intentions for more than just 'staying over'. So, with a scarlet blush adorning her cheeks, she denied the offer as politely as she could. Zazie didn't exactly want a repeat of what happened earlier today; her demon side was very unpredictable and was acting up more than usual lately.

The transfer student simply laughed off Zazie's over the top reaction. She knew what the half demon was thinking and in all truth also wanted to see how her lover would respond to the question. Like always, Zazie's answers never failed to entertain Kendra.

Speaking of entertainment, there was still a CD that a certain swordswoman had to listen to.

Setsuna, sporting a blush similar to Zazie's, was currently approaching Konoka, Negi, and Asuna's dorm for the usual visit and dinner time.

She still had the musical disk on her; which was hidden within her uniform jacket and away from her curious friends and lover's eyes. There was no way in heaven or hell that she could explain why she had such an absurd possession to convince them that it wasn't what seemed. _'Oh, this isn't a CD with dirty songs burned on it; it's just the latest Christmas album Tanaka Rei just released! Yeah, I'll see how that works…'_ Setsuna thought with a sigh.

It wasn't exactly bulletproof, it wasn't even worthy enough to be water proof, but it was the only excuse the bodyguard could come up with. Setsuna didn't spend her free time listening to music; so her knowledge in the modern musical arts was next to nothing.

Setsuna finally reached her destination and before knocking twice like a life long tradition of hers, she readjusted the CD within her jacket; making sure that the case wouldn't fall out of the inside pocket. After shifting around a little and being sure it was going to stay put, the swordswoman figured that was good enough and knocked lightly.

Setsuna didn't have to wait long before the door swung open and then was tackle hugged by Konoka before the flustered Hanyou could blink. Konoka didn't even have to second think her actions since her bashful girlfriend always came to her dorm around this time every day.

"Secchan!" Konoka said happily as she continued to cuddle Setsuna on the carpet floor. No matter how many times Setsuna has experienced her Ojou-Sama's aerial attack of love; it always caught her by surprise…and on the floor. Not that Setsuna hated it, oh no, she just wasn't comfortable with how her princess had the tendency to display so much public affection.

"K-K-Konochan! W-would you p-p-please j-just…just…" Setsuna trailed off. Just what, get off of her? No, Setsuna didn't exactly want to use those precise words and she enjoyed cuddling with Konoka, but she still had the CD case on her. The Hanyou didn't want the case to get crushed and something in her gut tells Setsuna that Kendra was really fond of this CD.

Asuna and Negi did nothing to stop this little spectacle either. It was a daily activity for the couple and they've learned to just wait until Konoka was satisfied. Besides, for some unknown reason, the Konoe heir had an ungodly upper body strength and prying Setsuna out of those arms were even difficult for Asuna.

Not too long later, Konoka seemed to read Setsuna's troubled thoughts as she sat up and straddled the swordswoman with a quizzical look on her face. Setsuna's eyes shyly avoided Konoka's as her blush only grew darker from the position they were in.

"Secchan…"

"H-hai K-Konochan?"

"What's inside your jacket? It feels pretty hard right here." Konoka asked as she gently rubbed her hand along the side of the swordswoman's right chest; right where the CD was. Although Setsuna couldn't feel the contact it didn't stop her from realizing where exactly her girlfriend's hand was and hastily sat up; the princess didn't move back though.

"I-It's nothing Ojou-sama." Setsuna was so frazzled at the moment from the contact and public display that she didn't even realize her slip up of using the 'forbidden word'. Konoka obviously heard it and once again puffed out her cheeks. Asuna cackled under her breath from what she knew was about to unfold while Negi shook his head in disappointment; his student will just never learn will she?

"Secchan, what did I tell you?" Setsuna flinched visibly at Konoka's whiny tone and then, almost as if running on auto, put up her arms in protection from her girlfriend's fists. The princess's petite little fists came raining down on the Hanyou as the upset girl kept repeating,

"Mou Secchan! I'm Konochan! Konochan, Konochan, Konochan, Konochan!" This situation was not any better for Setsuna than the one she was in before. Konoka's fists were coming dangerously close to the CD, not that Konoka was hitting that hard; but it didn't take much force to break a disk. Setsuna's mind frantically searched for a way to end this childish scene as quickly and peacefully as possible.

"G-gomenesai Konochan! I-I didn't mean it! I d-didn't realize!" Setsuna replied as her cheeks flustered and tried to lean away from those little hands. Finally, Konoka stopped her 'punishment' and folded her arms with her cheeks still puffed out in a pout.

"Geez, Secchan…I guess it's okay. I just wish you didn't call me that and just call me by my old nickname." Sighing in relief, Setsuna smiled apologetically at the Konoe heiress.

"Sorry Konochan. You know it's just a hard habit to break…it'll take a while for it to go away." The Hanyou's smile then shifted to her secret weapon, a sincere and award-winning smile that always snagged Konoka by the heart.

The chocolate haired mage knew what Setsuna was doing too and tried to fight it by narrowing her eyes. She struggled for a few more moments before finally sighing in defeat; there was no way she could deny that rare grin that would unnoticeable make Konoka melt on the inside. Konoka's eyes softened and slowly unfolded her arms.

"Hai, hai, it's okay Secchan…I just…really hate that name. But I could never stay mad at my Secchan!" Konoka declared happily with a bubbly smile plastered across her face. Setsuna was both happy and on edge to see her princess smile brightly like that because not only did it mean that she was forgiven; Konoka might just aggressively cuddle her again. _'I should have just stopped at my dorm and left the CD there.'_

So, with deep reluctance, Setsuna carefully rose from the floor without sending her lover falling off her lap. Konoka stood up shortly after; her eyes stealing quick glances at the spot on Setsuna's uniform where the CD was. _'What's she hiding in there? Oh well…I might have to remove some clothes to find out for myself.'_ Konoka inwardly smiled at that thought, _'that could be fun~.'_

The flushed Hanyou noticed the slightly vacant look in those chocolate orbs and that they were staring around Setsuna's upper chest. She theorized that Konoka was wondering what was inside her jacket, but the swordswoman saw an opportunity that she could almost never obtain.

The honor, privilege, and luckiness of teasing her girlfriend showed itself. Plus, this could be the bodyguard's chance to distract Konoka's attention away from the hidden CD. Setsuna coughed lightly into her fist to get Konoka's attention and then said coyly.

"My face is up here…Konochan." To the surprise of Asuna, Negi and even Konoka, the Konoe heiress's cheeks flared in a light burgundy hue. Setsuna enjoyed the sight, a lot actually, and it made her wonder if this was how Kendra felt when she had her teasing moments of fun. _'I think I can see why she does it so much.'_ It didn't mean that Setsuna was fine with the magic sensor directing all the light ridicule towards her though; she was tired of blushing more than she usually does in a day.

"Err, I…I uh…" Konoka muttered as her chocolate orbs moved frantically about yet avoided Setsuna's amused onyx eyes; she had no idea how to respond to practically being caught red handed ogling the swordswoman. With the surprise of her Secchan actually being the teaser in the relationship stacked onto her current predicament, Konoka could come up with one completely irrelevant statement.

"I-I have to cook dinner." Setsuna grinned as she witnessed her lover clumsily scamper into the kitchen and momentarily looked lost about what to do before re-gathering her senses and started placing pots and pans on the stove.

Asuna and Negi traded awkward stares, both conveying similar thoughts on what just happened. _'Did they just switch roles?!'_ The two roommates thought incredulously. Asuna watched in amusement as Setsuna somewhat awkwardly shuffled over to a seat at the table; not knowing that the swordswoman had to move that way to keep the CD from falling and then let out a long whistle.

"Wow! How about that! Looks like bird brain finally grew a pair!" The red head just barely held her laughter as both Setsuna and Konoka blushed but tried in vain to ignore the playful banter. Negi then slowly leaned over to Asuna and whispered curiously.

"Is this what they call a prime example of a Seme and Uke situation?"

"Not really, Setsuna-San only acted Seme just that one time. And besides, they're not even guy-"Asuna's eyes bulged out of their sockets upon realizing what they were discussing.

"HOW THE HELL DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THIS?!" The twin tailed girl shrieked accusingly at the younger boy as she rose to a commanding stance above him. Negi frantically scurried away from the outraged girl and cowered in fear under her fearful glare.

"Have you been reading Haruna-San's manga again?!" Negi yelped as he felt Asuna yank him up by the collar with ferocity and brought his face dangerously close to hers.

"B-b-but Haruna-S…San said th-that a Se-Seme and Uke w-was a type a relationship between t-t-two male best friends! H-Honest, Asuna-San! I-I didn't read her m-manga, she just t-t-told me!" The ten year old claimed as his eyes began to tear up with sheer terror.

"And why would Haruna-San even tell you about this in the first place?! Did you ASK her about this?!" Asuna growled as her fists clenched tighter on the, by now probably tearing, fabric of his suit. If the fact that Negi was trembling wasn't already established, then the way his glasses were slowly sliding down the bridge of his pale nose from the vibrations could help clarify it.

"O-Of course not! Sh-she just m-mentioned it t-to me once and th-th-then started going into d-deep discussion about i-it without my consent w-whatsoever!" Negi then shot his desperate eyes over in Setsuna's direction to wordlessly plead for support but then felt his tears start to fall faster.

Both Setsuna and Konoka were looking in the opposite direction of the heated interrogation with solemn looks on their faces. _'We've had some great times Negi-Sensei…your contagious optimism and generosity will be greatly missed.'_ Setsuna mourned inwardly. _'He was so young! The poor child hadn't even gotten to experience puberty yet…'_ Konoka thought sadly as she absentmindedly continued cooking.

"I'm not dead yet! Setsuna-San, Konoka-San, please! Help me!" Negi squeaked frantically as his tears now turned into waterfalls; how could his own students turn on him like this?

Suddenly, Chamo came pouncing out of a clothes drawer and ran on all fours towards the bickering student and teacher.

"HOLD ON ANIKI! I'LL HAVE YA OUT OF THAT MONSTER'S HANDS IN NO TIME!" The albino rodent shouted in a war cry as he leaped towards Asuna but then seemed to defy all laws of physics as he abruptly halted in mid-air from what he saw.

Asuna looked pissed, like I'm-pissed-enough-to-go-rodent-hunting-with-snap-traps-a-pack-of-matches-and-hair-trimmers pissed. Chamo seemed to have all the life drain out of him as he dropped to the floor and casually yet hurriedly scurried away and back into the safe confines of the dresser.

"Err, I forgot I just came from the vet yesterday…D-Doc said I got a bad back and shouldn't strain it and stuff."

"CHAMO!" Negi yelled in disbelief.

"You'll thank me one day Aniki…i-it'll help ya build character!" The terrified ermine yelled before he closed the drawer with a definite slam.

So here is a recap on Negi's current situation.

He is currently in the clutches of a temperamental student hell bent on causing him some form of excruciating pain, his other two students have assumed that he was already dead and didn't even bother to assist him, and his best pet friend in the whole world left him to face the music on his own. Things were looking grim for the child wizard…to put it lightly.

The capillaries on Asuna's cheeks were working over-time as her boiling blood and agitation rose by the second. Negi clearly took notice of this and frantically searched his intelligent little brain for something to distract Asuna's anger; it had to be something good. If he could just divert her attention away from beating his face in, then he'll have a chance to live.

"H-How do you know a-about this stuff too, A-Asuna-San?!" Negi shouted accusingly yet with a large hint of fear; he didn't intend for the question to come out as an interrogation. He was in no position at the moment to force answers out of the hot headed girl. However, the comeback seemed to have an effect on Asuna like the child teacher had hoped.

Asuna's face solidified into a mildly shocked one as only one of her widened eyes would twitch every few seconds. Negi also stared back with his frightened eyes never leaving Asuna's; his legs helplessly dangling in the air. Yes, Asuna was holding him THAT high off the ground.

Finally, Asuna's blush returned with renewed vigor in embarrassment. Negi indeed had a point; Asuna must've had some knowledge relating to man on man relationships if she knew what Seme and Uke meant.

"I…I…I didn't mean to-I didn't want to! I-I was just curious and-Hey!" Negi took the chance to slip out of Asuna's grasp while she wasn't paying attention; making a mad dash for safety. Asuna was hot on Negi's trail until she tripped over something.

Now the most common thing for a person to trip over is some kind of object like clothes, books, sheets, or even the leg of a table; but no, Asuna was thrown off balance by a specific swordswoman as she collided into Setsuna with a strident thud. The next noise to resound within the rowdy dorm room made Setsuna pale significantly.

SNAP!

A fairly loud snapping sound that came from Setsuna's jacket rung in everyone's ears. It wasn't really that loud, but it somehow managed to grab the attention of the Konoe bodyguard's ears. Asuna slowly sat up and sheepishly rubbed the back of her head as she held out a helping hand for Setsuna.

"Sorry about that Setsuna-San. You okay?" The slightly guilty girl didn't receive an answer or a hand though. Asuna blinked in confusion at Setsuna's pale features and wide eyes as they stared into nothingness. She hasn't even risen from the floor yet which only worried a currently approaching mage princess even more.

"Secchan?" Konoka called as she knelt down next to her shocked lover. Negi was also peering worriedly at his silent student; from the safety of his bunk of course.

"…tell me it didn't break…" Setsuna whispered gravely. The two girls and boy eyed Setsuna suspiciously as she cautiously sat up. She didn't have to sit up too far until the CD case fell out of her jacket and onto the carpet floor. The Hanyou's onyx eyes hesitated for a second before staring down at the case along with three other pairs of curious eyes looking as well.

Kendra's CD case didn't appear to be broken from a first glance, but Setsuna wasn't ready to breathe easy yet.

She picked up the case and looked it over thoroughly as she checked every corner and artificial indent. Then she found it, a small and almost unnoticeable crack was on the back of the case; located right over the 'S' in the 'Sexiest Songs' title. It was unbelievable that such a small crack made such a loud snap. Now Setsuna was ready to breathe easy…not.

"This was what was in your jacket Secchan?" Konoka asked as she swiftly took the CD case out of Setsuna's hands without a second thought and examined the list of songs written on the back curiously.

"Konochan! Give it back! Onegai!" Setsuna whined as she tried to reach for the stolen case; the bodyguard never knew why, but it seemed like she became powerless when it came to overpowering Konoka. So it seemed that no matter how hard Setsuna tried to retain the disk in her flustered state, her girlfriend would just lean away and hold the CD out of reach.

Finally, with a sigh of defeat, Setsuna gave up and sat crossed legged as her nervous orbs were glued to her lap.

"Eh? She really did have something in her jacket? Let me see! Move over!" Asuna said eagerly as she crawled next to Konoka and eyed the list of songs as well…Both girls were silent.

Negi, finally allowing his curiosity to out-weigh his fear, slowly left his bunk and peeked at the case from behind his roommates.

The ten year old suddenly let out an awkward choking sound as he turned away and adjusted his tie; his cheeks flaring up scarlet red. Negi wasn't exactly oblivious to things concerning the more adult themes; all thanks to 3-A's manga artist Haruna of course.

"Wha…w-w-what the hell is this Setsuna-San?!" Asuna stuttered as she stared at the fidgeting Hanyou with shocked blue and green eyes and sporting a blush similar to Negi's. Konoka didn't budge from her spot and just kept her wide eyes fixated to the titles of each song. _'Neighbors Know My Name? On The Hotline? Wet the Bed?! That one sounds like some educational kiddy song to teach children not to wet the bed! Where did Secchan get-'_A theory suddenly dawned on the easy going girl. _'Didn't Kendra-San mention that she would give Secchan something? Is this what it was…but why this CD?'_

"A-Asuna-San!? Get off of me!" Setsuna shouted in annoyance as Asuna apparently decided to pounce the half demon and try to subdue her with a head lock. Of course the red head was struggling; the difference between them in experience with combat was showing itself. Setsuna could've been thrown Asuna off, but she was still in the weakened flustered state Konoka caused.

"No way bird brain! I knew you were a closet pervert! Why else would you have that or even HIDE it?!"

"I-It's Tanaka Rei's new Christmas album!"

"Christmas isn't for another ten months!"

"I'm getting it ahead of time! There's nothing wrong with being safe than sorry!" Setsuna sputtered; not even caring how illogical and weak her excuses were. The cat was already out the bag, but she at least wanted to ease the ridicule a little.

Negi just quietly snuck back into his bunk; not very confident that he could handle this kind of situation. These were not one of the scenarios that a teacher is expected to handle; this was on a more personal level.

Konoka blinked innocently a few times at her friend and lover wrestling until finally asking.

"Can we listen to it too Secchan?" Asuna, Setsuna, and Negi's eyes popped out of their heads at Konoka's request.

"EH?!" They all shouted…

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><p>Far within the forest surrounding Mahora Academy, crickets resounded dully throughout the atmosphere. Rodents and mammals of the gentler nature were nestling in their floral and wooden habitat. The midnight peaceful air only added on to the environment's pleasant aura…and Evangeline felt like she wanted to punch it in the face.<p>

The chibi vampire was irritated; and not irritated like she always seemed, but irritated as if it really did have a cause. That cause would be Kendra, or who was living inside Kendra to be more specific. Ever since the magic sensor revealed her green rimmed pupils to the small blood-sucker, Evangeline felt two emotions that she hated the most.

Fear and anxiety.

Evangeline never planned or believed that she would ever have to feel these pathetic emotions ever again. But then a random transfer student shows up at her door passed out, wakes up to ridicule her in her own cabin, and then actually withhold the upper hand in a show of dominance.

Evangeline rubbed her hands along the area where Kendra clenched with inhuman strength and scowled bitterly. That moment really did hurt her ego a little; not that she would ever show it.

The queen of darkness tried to have some tea, prepared by Chachamaru of course, to help settle her nerves; but then discovered that even the soothing powers of her second favorite refreshment did nothing to quell her anger.

After that Evangeline tried to use fresh blood poured from a wine bottle to calm herself, but that didn't work either. The vampire felt a bit more refreshed and that's it; the plasma substance didn't shut out her fears at all.

Finally, Evangeline took a few shots of alcohol. It left her feeling buzzed and somewhat lighter…but those stubborn feelings were still there. They were relentless and in Evangeline's mind it seemed like they were mocking her; calling the stressed woman weak and foolish…a human.

This was why Evangeline felt so pissed. To be called human was like being called a lowly peasant to her, even if she was once one of them centuries ago. _'This if fuckin' ridiculous! I can't be scared! I'd laugh at the jaws of a dragon for crying out loud!'_ Evangeline ranted inwardly as she lounged on her couch.

Her wooden table was littered with tea cups, wine glasses, droplets of blood, and a variety of shot glasses.

"That fucker just had to show up in my life again." Evangeline growled as she held her head with her right hand. Her appearance didn't look any cleaner than her table either.

Her hair was frazzled and was in dire need of a good brushing, her silk black robe hung off her petite body haphazardly but Evangeline didn't even care, and her piercing blue eyes lost a substantial amount of her signature coldness; which was replaced with deep confusion and miff.

"I'm not afraid of him…that bastard does NOT scare me!" Evangeline was lying to herself, but the last thing she wanted to do is repeat the agonizing truth and bury her mind deeper into such a weak state. The vampire would have nothing of that; so being dishonest with herself sounded like the better alternative.

_'If I didn't meet him that one day…then things would've been different. I wouldn't be this sniveling and poor excuse of a vampire right now!'_ She thought as a sneer burning with outrage broke out across her face. It was a memory that she'll never forget, no matter how hard she tries…

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><p><em>Flashback<em>

_PAT! PAT! PAT!_

_Labored breathing pierce __sharply through the cold air; the puffs of oxygen condensing into visible small clouds in front of her parted lips._

_PAT! PAT! PAT!_

_Her head was pounding from mild exhaustion and the chilling breeze was biting at her pale bare skin. The only form of clothing adorning her being a thin and ragged piece of fabric which posed as a sleeveless shirt, woolen pants that shifted freely around her muddy and sore ankles, and a long sleeve over coat that was too big for her buttoned over them. Her bare feet pounded as fast and swiftly as they could, but faltered clumsily for a moment whenever they met the rigid and painful surface of rocks and pebbles._

_PAT! PAT! PAT!_

_She couldn't slow down though; her life depended on it. They were hunting her down and her elongated shadow shown in front of her was evidence that their torches were close behind her. A few meters at most is the distance she estimated to be between her and the herd of vengeful villagers. It wasn't much, but at this point, feeling terrified for her life and not even knowing the reason for her punishment, she'd even take a foot of distance away from them. As long as the civilians didn't reach her; as long as she survived._

_PAT! PAT! PAT!_

"_Monster!"_

"_Face your death with honor demon!"_

"_Go back to the devil's cave from where you came!"_

_Evangeline's eyes stung with tears as their crude and spiteful comments reached her ears. Why was she a monster? What did she do to deserve this? Why did her peaceful life suddenly get sucked in to this hell hole over a span of few days? The short blonde didn't withhold the answers, but what she did know is that she had to find a place to hide and quick._

_The soles of her feet were becoming numb from pain and she could feel her legs periodically buckle from tiredness. She pushed herself though, and with the power of desperation, began to slowly increase the gap between her and the hunters._

_Her watery eyes looked ahead to see that she was approaching a small and deserted building made of aged oak wood. It wasn't the best spot to vacate, but she'd take it. _**_'Faster…just a little faster and I'll be there!'_**

_PAT, PAT, PAT, PAT, PAT!_

_Her feet skimmed across the ground faster as she pushed just past her limits. She reached the door of her destination and frantically grabbed onto the carved in knob…but then halted as her efforts were crushed to shambles._

_Apparently, this house wasn't deserted. The door unexpectedly flew open and threw Evangeline back in the process. She landed harshly on her bottom and looked up slowly while wincing in pain._

_A man wearing a thick, sickly green and unbuttoned coat, black woolen pants and a pair of black boots stood before Evangeline with his hand still resting on the door. Resting within his other hand…was a dagger that measured nearly ten inches in length._

"_You're not getting in my house you accursed monstrosity!" His gruff voice spat as he sent Evangeline a glare that could take five years off a human's life span. The devastated girl, legs too weak to stand herself back up, frantically scooted backwards and away from the approaching man._

"_Return back to hell from whence you came!" He shrieked as he wildly brought his dagger down at Evangeline but would only miss skin by a millimeter as the short girl gave her all to avoid obtaining a fatal wound. Becoming quickly frustrated with Evangeline's constant movement, the man then tried to leap onto the defenseless girl and pin her down. He failed on his first two attempts but succeeded the third time; his heavy body effectively weighing down the petite girl and not allowing her to escape. Using one hand to pin her right wrist, the ruthless male had his dagger a mere few inches away from Evangeline's neck._

"_Die!" He hissed as a sadistic grin crept across his face from seeing Evangeline's tears of terror idly slide down her cheeks one by one. _

"_No…I-I'm not a monster! No, please!" **'Why? I don't even know what I did! I can't die like this-'**_

"_Halt your hand Profanus!" An authoritative voice commanded nearby. The man referred to Profanus shot that same glare in the direction of that voice; fully aware of who it belonged to._

"_Don't get in my way_ _Elatus! You and everyone else behind you want this girl dead as well! I can finish the job right here and right now!" The twenty or so men that made up the group of hunters nodded firmly in agreement; raising their torches and daggers with a mighty roar all the while. _

_Evangeline felt like her heart was going to crack her ribs from how hard it was pounding. It was obvious that she was indeed trapped now that the herd of huntsmen have caught up with her._

"_That may be true Profanus, but you know how the rules and regulations of death sentences work in our village!" Elatus stated as he glared back at the outraged commoner._

"_We must send her to the governor to choose which form of death will be inflicted upon her…the governor may even request torture before killing her! So she must be alive until then!" Profanus growled as his hand tightened on his dagger and then rested it firmly on Evangeline's neck._

"_This parasite…this sin…this wench…came to my home and was probably going to kill me next! I have the right to kill her right this second." Profanus stated slowly as he stared coldly into a pair of pleading sky blue orbs. Elatus grit his teeth at the stubborn man._

"_Profanus! As your village bishop, I command you to drop-"_

"_But…Bishop Elatus…" Profanus started as he grinned sinisterly at the angered bishop._

"…_you had me at torture. Take her." Bishop and the men behind him grinned widely and huddled around Evangeline as soon as Profanus backed away. Two men held up the distressed girl and pinned her arms behind her. Evangeline struggled, screamed and even kicked at the surrounding villagers but missed constantly; her efforts were fruitless. She halted her frantic actions as she witnessed another commoner pulling out thick rope with a wicked and broad smile. Evangeline thrashed as the men began tying her arms and bounding her limbs together tightly._

"_Let me go! Let go!" She yelled as those sturdy arms never released their grip on her…until one of the men behind her breathed in a sharp gasp before collapsing. Evangeline, Profanus, Elatus and everyone else's eyes widened at the fallen man who looked to have all the life sucked out of him._

_Standing behind him was a tall man dressed in what probably used to be clothes but were now nearly reduced to shreds; just barely covering enough skin to suffice. His right arm was outstretched in front of him with his left hand holding the forearm firmly. His unruly and long green hair draped past his shoulders and shadowed his face but his pupils glowed brightly. _

_Evangeline felt her spine quiver in fear from his pair of emerald eyes looking past her skin and into her soul. Just the gaze alone felt so overwhelming and made her feel so far below him for some unknown reason._

"_Bardus!" The other man holding Evangeline shouted upon witnessing his friend's death. He then released the blonde and held his torch threateningly towards the mysterious persona._

"_You bastard! You killed Bardus!" The angered commoner charged at the tall man but didn't even come within a meter of him before his body suddenly started to feel like it was getting torn in two. He wasn't physically being torn though._

_The covert man held up his right arm again but this time at the villager who attempted to attack him as a neon green string of energy connected his hand with the center of the offender's chest. The man in pain only had enough time to gasp in pain before the wire and green surge of power began to pull a wispy and bluish-gray figure out of his body._

"_Gahah!" He choked out as he desperately clawed at the unusual entity emerging from his chest but found that his hands simply phased through it. The sickly colored mist was shaped like a human and even withheld a striking resemblance to him; only the face appeared to be writhing in agony and fear._

_It was his soul. His physical body began to lose consciousness as the soul was being pulled more and more out of his body and fell to his knees. _

_The others except Evangeline put distance between them and the seemingly sinister being. Evangeline seemed to fall into a state of immobility and kept her eyes glued on the fascinating yet fearful man before her._

_The way his eyes showed no response whatsoever to the sounds of a dying man in agony intrigued and scared her beyond compare. If she was that emotionless, that strong, then maybe she could make it on her own in the world as well._

_Finally, the doomed man's soul was fully extracted as the last of its remains slithered out in the contour of a tail which was closely related to a tadpole's. The soul contorted and wiggled through the green aura until it was carried along with it into a calloused awaiting hand. _

_The commoner's body fell face down to the ground. His skin became as shriveled up and wrinkled as a raisin. His eyes had lost its initial brown color and were replaced by a light gray hue. The man was now a corpse; his features matching Bardus own._

_The green haired man clenched his hand and basked silently in the feeling of obtaining yet another rotten soul. He then diverted his eyes to the dull gray clouds lurking above; almost as if he sending a mental message to someone in the heavens._

"_Witness my work…Stella…Gemma…" He whispered under his breath. Evangeline read his lips carefully and could decipher exactly what he said. Not that she knew what such a random statement meant. Who were Stella and Gemma? Why is he speaking to the sky? And why does he want them to witness his work? Evangeline didn't think about it much longer as the mysterious soul robber shifted his attention to the men that were frozen stiff with fear._

_Never once in their lives have they seen something so unholy, other worldly, and terrifying. Of course Evangeline was a prime example to them of this description, but with their minds racing and panicking as bad as it was; they've practically forgotten about her at the moment._

"_U-unholy demon! Go back to your h-hole of evil and leave our village be!" Bishop Elatus tried to stutter in a commanding tone, but hiding away behind the men was contradicting his voice._

_The shadows obscuring the emerald man's face peeled back to reveal a handsome face yet slightly withered with tiredness and regret. His forest green eyes glowed brightly once again as he stared down the cowering men and then shifted his gaze to Evangeline._

_Blue eyes locked with hazy green ones. The tall man then slowly raised a finger at Evangeline; causing her to flinch away in fear of being attacked._

"…_Thy's soul…is innocent…but is tainted. Only time can tell which path thy's heart chooses…" He muttered dully as his finger leisurely turned in the hunters and bishop's direction._

_Evangeline's eyebrows scrunched together in confusion. __**'What does he mean by that? My soul is…tainted? How can he read my soul anyways?'** __the petite girl questioned in her mind._

_Bishop Elatus jumped as the soul manipulator's finger pointed at him; just him and not the quivering men in front._

"_Thy soul…is guilty. All of thy's souls are guilty…I shall erase thy's existence now." The group of villagers didn't like the sound of that. They scrambled around frantically at first as they saw the mysterious male hold out his arm in the same position as before, but then somewhat pulled themselves together enough to started running in one direction. And that was away from his glowing green hand._

_Evangeline didn't even bother to turn around and witness the men's brutal but bloodless death. She kept her eyes glued on the man; studying the way those souls swirled through the air and flew into his hand once again. It almost seemed addictive to watch how his jade power danced around his body every time a soul was absorbed; his silhouette literally becoming a small light show. Evangeline was scared, but felt more curious and entranced than anything. She wanted to know more about this man, how he obtained such power, who was Stella and Gemma, and why did he save her? She just wanted to sit down with him and ask the millions of questions she had._

_The men's screams slowly died down into whimpers before going silent all together. Then Evangeline's eyes shined even brighter with intrigue as the green haired soul thief once again whispered those words to the sky. **'He must do it every time he takes a soul…'** Evangeline concluded._

_Without sparing another glance at the blonde girl, the mysterious male turned around and began to walk down the cold pavement road. The petite girl raised a hand in his direction as she worked her mind to find the exact words she wanted._

"_W-wait!" The man didn't respond to Evangeline and continued to walk his path._

"_Why did you save me?! We don't even know each other!" He finally halted and glanced over his shoulder at the persistent girl._

"_I already told thy…thy's soul is innocent yet tainted. So thy soul's fate is still undecided. I cannot interfere with it…But those men…their souls disgusted me beyond compare and deserved to go to hell." He growled his last few words; truly believing that those men deserved their fates. Evangeline stared silently at the man's sneer; not knowing how to respond. The angered man didn't wait for the short blonde to respond though and continued walking away._

_Evangeline's vacant blue eyes studied his slightly lowered head and hunched shoulders; still trying to put together her next question without hitting was probably a sore spot for her savior._

"_Who?" Evangeline started. The soul judger stopped once again but turned to face her full this time with an annoyed expression on his face._

"_Thy is too chatty! What is thy talking about with this who business-"_

"_Who are Stella and Gemma? And why should they watch your wor-"Evangeline gagged as she felt her trachea being crushed under the force of the outraged man's grip. His emerald eye's, which were inches away from the blonde's, seemed different than before. They still glowed brightly, but instead of a calm pool of calm lime green, they were swirling around wildly like an ocean storm. His handsome features were twisted with sorrow and rage, which sent trembles to travel up Evangeline's spine._

"_Thy will NOT speak of their names!" He spat venomously as his hold on her neck tightened. Suddenly, his emotional turmoil seemed to disappear as Evangeline began to weakly wring at his hand before letting go. The gasping girl fell to her knees and coughed violently while rubbing her throbbing throat._

_The towering soul thief stepped away from the girl; his eyes conveying shame for losing his temper so easily._

"_I-It was(cough! Cough!) a sore subject…w-wasn't it?" Evangeline croaked between coughs._

"_N-no I…just lost my bearings for a moment. St-Stella and Gemma…are my wife and daughter." He admitted as he diverted his eyes away from the short girl who finally regained her breathing and stood up._

"_I see…but you always look to the sky. Why?" Evangeline asked carefully as she took a step back in preparation for him to snap again. He didn't snap however, but his half lidded eyes suddenly lost all its luster and stared blankly to the clouds._

"_They're up there…living on happily at no one but the deity's mercy…" The soul manipulator trailed off but continued to gaze upon the sky._

"_Oh…I'm sorry. I shouldn't have ask-" The saddened man interrupted her apologies by placing a finger on Evangeline's forehead. _

"_W-what are you-"_

"_Thy has been called a monster and a sin…and yet thy doesn't know why. Thy does not know why because thy has forgotten memories due to immense shock. I believe that any mortal, both guilty and innocent, deserve to at least know why they receive the punishments fate has bestowed upon them…" Then, the tip of his finger glowed a more pleasant green aura than before; pulsating through the skin of Evangeline's forehead. _

_It sent the electrolytes within Evangeline's mind to scatter around her brain into a wild frenzy for a mere millisecond, but the girl never felt so disorientated for such a short amount of time. It was like her mind received a boost that was too much for her to handle. Evangeline's legs buckled for a moment but managed to hold balance; but not from natural strength. _

_The shock coursing through her veins made every bone in her body go stiff; the memories came flooding back to her. What she's done to make the village hate her so much, why she just woke up one day on the road with little clothing, and why she felt so empty inside. _

"…_There…now thy knows why thy's fate is so grim…but do not let it ruin thy's innocence. I, Anima Tractatori, command thy to keep thy's soul purified…I must take my leave now…young vampire." The mysterious man whispered as he watched her shocked her face for a moment and turned away._

_Evangeline placed a trembling hand on her chest; feeling her lungs tighten from her harsh breathing. These memories, they couldn't possibly be hers. It couldn't possibly be her that feed off of her own parent's blood. It couldn't possibly be her that attacked so many innocent people; blinded by her vampire instincts. It couldn't possibly her doing all these horrid things. _

_The stunned girl began to hyperventilate and fell to her knees once again. It never even occurred to her that she's been standing in the middle of the road for so long and only came to when the mysterious man's figure was almost out of sight. Evangeline's desperate attempts to shout to him came out in strained wheezes as tears of frustration slid down her pale cheeks. She didn't want these memories. She wanted Anima to take them away; she wanted him to take away the pain._

"_A…Anim…a! Anima! Take…them away! E…Erase the memories!" Anima did not turn around though, he knew that she would ask him of this, but he knew that this was for the best for her. To know the truth instead of being left in the dark was for the better. Finally, the green immortal's figure disappeared into the distant fields and leaving nothing behind but devastation for the sobbing girl._

_Evangeline's eyes shifted frantically as her hyperventilation became more and more frantic and the wave of flashbacks were crashing down on her relentlessly. The one imagery of her dead mother laying in her own pool of blood shook the child vampire to the core. At last, something in her broke as the recollection of her feeding on her mother's neck while she screamed in agony course through her subconscious._

"_Moooooom!" She shrieked madly as she held her head within her hands. The shattered girl bawled violently and screamed her despair over and over again; not caring one bit about the many corpses laying a few feet away from her. She wouldn't even try to run away; the villagers would blame her for the casualties and call her monster. But this time, Evangeline couldn't see that she had any right to say that she wasn't…_

_Flashback End_

* * *

><p>WHAM!<p>

Evangeline slammed her fist onto her wooden table; sending her glasses and cups flying to the floor with a resounded crash. She didn't give a rat's ass about those things at the moment; not when she was trembling this much from anger and terror.

"You didn't take them away you bastard…" She growled lowly…

* * *

><p>"My Kami…" Asuna whispered with a deep red blush spread across her cheeks.<p>

"That was uh…well conveyed for a song." Negi commented, sporting a blush of his own and adjusting his glasses.

"The title was pretty…misleading. I thought it'd an educational kiddy song for not wetting the bed." Konoka muttered as her chocolate orbs shyly glanced over at Setsuna. The Hanyou's reaction was the most different out of everyone else's. She looked devastated, surprised, and ashamed all at once. She hasn't even pause the CD from how deep in shock she was.

The Konoe bodyguard was ashamed because well…she's listening to songs that Setsuna would describe as 'inappropriate'.

The devastation and surprise was because that no matter how hard she tried to deny it…she actually kind of like it. The way the beats could seem so upbeat yet smooth and sensual at the same time; it intrigued the half demon and slightly enjoyed this genre of music. _'I like it…'_ Her mind started somewhat indifferently. _'I like it?'_ She then thought skeptically. _'…I LIKE IT?!'_ Her mind screamed in terror. _'Kendra-San, what did you do to me?!'_…

* * *

><p>"Achoo!" Kendra sneezed. The magic sensor looked around suspiciously and then shrugged.<p>

"Nah, ain't nobody talkin' 'bout me. Dat's just stuff only paranoid people worry 'bout." Kendra said to herself and then rested casually across her bed. She couldn't shake off the odd feeling though…

* * *

><p>Fun Fact!:<p>

Profanus is Latin for wicked.

Elatus is Latin for ignorant.

Bardus is Latin for stupid. :P

Alrighty! That's all for now and now we know why Evangeline despises Anima so much! But it doesn't explain why Anima claims that he doesn't know Evangeline...hmmmm. What could it be? [Shrugs] Oh well, guess we'll find out another time. ;)

So until next chapter, please...

CLICK THE BLUE BUTTON. -.-'


	22. Chapter 22

Hey I'm back! X) Okay, first off, I am SO sorry I took so long to update! Since summer break is over, my school work has been getting in the way of my writing! T-T But finally, after two weeks, I got it up! Now I am ashamed to admit that this chapter isn't as long as the others, but I'm still fairly happy with how this chapter turned out. :P

Disclaimer: I do not own Negima or any of its characters.

Now please, enjoy the chapter! :)

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><p><strong>Chapter 22<strong>

Tuesday morning was welcomed gratefully by the birds as they awarded it with a tweeting tune; whistling that all too familiar song of awakening that everyone knew. However, there was one birdy who was not looking forward to today.

Setsuna lay under her covers and flat on her back; her forearm resting across her forehead as the swordswoman stared lethargically at her ceiling. Usually, the bodyguard didn't have many problems with getting up early for school or training; but it was what awaits her later on today.

The Hanyou was pretty sure that Asuna, Konoka, and Negi haven't forgotten about that whole CD incident. She did explain to them that it was Kendra who asked her to listen to the CD; so there were no worries there. But Asuna would use it as teasing ammo anyways.

The child wizard probably would have trouble looking the half demon in the eyes for a while; which Setsuna understood fully. Anyone would feel awkward and not know exactly how to handle the situation; especially for a kid Negi's age. Most importantly though, Setsuna was afraid how Konoka reacted to the dirty disk.

The mage princess, by some supernatural power that she must have on the side, can read Setsuna like a book and could tell when the swords user was feigning a specific emotion. _'Did she realize that I liked it? Will she think I'm a…'_ Setsuna's mind trailed off as her cheeks glowed rosy pink. She hated that 'P' word; and to actually relate herself with that word, pervert, was revolting to her. Setsuna felt sick to her stomach at just the thought of her Konochan accusing her of being a good for nothing pervert. There was no doubt that comment could weigh heavily on her conscious for a while; Setsuna did not want that.

"Ugh!" Setsuna grunted in frustration as she rolled onto her side and stared at the source of her troubles placed upon her bedside table.

"…it's all your fault." She mumbled glumly at the 'Sexiest Songs' CD. She didn't care how childish and illogical it was to blame an inanimate object; no one was looking anyways.

Finally, with a huff of annoyance, Setsuna sat up in her bed; throwing the sheets off her body and deciding to stop whining like a baby and face her fears. Besides, Setsuna had faced way scarier things...like huge goblins with sickly green and scaly skin with spiked clubs for a weapon, yellow and sometimes black rotten teeth, and craving to crack her head open.

How about that; the chance of Konoka calling her a pervert still sounded way scarier to the Hanyou. Setsuna quickly shook off her doubts though and began getting herself ready for school today as she looked through her closet; fingers gliding casually across her few outfits before stopping on her uniform. _'…Oh yeah, Kendra-San won't be there today since she's suspended…'_ Setsuna realized; feeling slightly disheartened that the magic sensor wouldn't be there.

Sure, Kendra somewhat harassed the Hanyou every minute and every hour of the day, but she just couldn't help but feel this small attachment to her. It was quite similar to the one she felt around Asuna; could Setsuna possibly see her as another close friend? _'Not yet…she's sort of fun to talk with, but I've only known her for a little while now. I'll just wait a little longer before I draw any conclusions.'_ With a determined nod to herself, Setsuna pulled her uniform off the hanger, closed the closet, and headed to her bathroom for a quick shower…

* * *

><p>Kendra sat impatiently on her bed as her hazel eyes scanned frantically around her room.<p>

At the moment, the magic sensor was panicking. The reason why, she was bored and needed something to do. Her options on what she could do to pass the time until Zazie arrives from school were very limited as well.

The magic sensor had already tried listening to her favorite radio station and CDs since they always seemed to help time fly by for her, but it didn't seem to work out for her today. Sure she enjoyed it the first few minutes, but for the first time in a long while, Kendra became bored with it.

"…maybe I should just watch some TV or somethin'." Kendra muttered as she stood up and plopped down on her couch in front of her television. She then picked up her remote from the small table in front of her and casually began to surf through the channels. Her glazed hazel eyes weren't really paying attention to what was really on TV. She didn't exactly expect Japan to have any shows that she knew since the ones she liked were indeed American.

"_Kousike…I…I've always-"_

"_I know Nanoka…I feel the same…I love you to-"_

"Hell naw! Dat's da soap opera crap my mom watches!"

CLICK!

"_COME ON AND GET YOUR HONDAS HERE FOR TWENTY PERCENCT OFF AND A SPECIAL DOWN PAYMENT THAT YOU CAN'T RESI-"_

"Jesus Christ! I can' even tell what he's sayin'! Somethin' 'bout twenty Hondas down or some shit…"

CLICK!

"_Okay, I just can't stand Chuji and Kenoko! If they're gonna be my roommates, then they're gonna have to start living under my rules! But then they had to go and start complaining about the smallest things! So what if I burrowed just one little shirt, a pair of shoes, and twenty bucks from them without telling?! They need to learn to get their heads out of their asses and stop whining about everything!"_

"Looks who talkin'! There's a'ways some chick complainin' in every freakin' reality show 'bout stupid stuff…"

CLICK!

"_Keep flipping those patties boy! Money's coming in hot today!"_

"_Ai, ai, sir captain sir! Flipping on the grill~ Making Krabby Pattys~ Everyone one loves Krabby Pattys-"_

"_I don't."_

"…_Everyone loves Krabby Pattys except for Squidward~ But that's okay~ Because he's still my friend~"_

"…_I don't like you…psychotic cheese block…"_

"_Aww, I like you too Squidward!"_

"No way…they actually air dis in Japan…hell yes! I love SpongeBob!" Kendra cheered as one of her rare childish perks made itself present once again. The transfer student would always watch this cartoon, no matter how old she got. The show, in her opinion, was just that funny and unforgettable…it was no more than three minutes later until the episode ended and the commercials announced that a different show would be playing next.

"You bastards…" Kendra grumbled at the television screen as the message for a different show coming up next almost seem to mock her cruelly. With a huff of agitation, the dark skin girl turned off the TV and placed the remote back on the table. She was once again bored out of her mind.

Slowly, Kendra brought up her right palm to face her and flexed it carefully. The magic sensor was dying to test out these newly acquired abilities some more; but she knew the consequences of investigating in Anima's territory without professional help. So the curious girl had no choice but to wait until she visited Evangeline and asked her about this. Kendra couldn't possibly let her nosiness about the foreign power overshadow the highly likely possibility of losing her sanity to a four century old immortal.

_'Ya know…I'd expect ya to try 'n trick me into usin' ya powers Anima. Ya do want control ova my mind and everythin', not dat you'll eva get it…what's up wit you?'_ Kendra asked the armored Casanova.

'…_**I-'**_

_'There it is again.'_ Kendra interrupted with just a barely recognizable growl behind her words.

'…_**What is thy-'**_

_'And again. Why do you do dat? The hesitatin'; you've been doin' it for a while now.'_ The magic sensor repeated with distaste.

Kendra had enough of the immortal's weird behavior ever since that day in Evangeline's cabin. She knew how the man in denial felt and tried to at least give him some room on this sensitive subject…but even she could become impatient.

Especially after the way Anima would attract Kendra's attention with his vague words. Sometimes they signaled he would finally open up, but he would then immediately pull back to leave the transfer student curious and confused.

'_**I'm not, I just…thy is just…'**_ Anima trailed off; oddly feeling too drained to even speak with his irritated host. Was all this brooding over his past and the possibility of caring about Kendra actually taking an emotional toll on the arrogant soul? He couldn't see why this would; other trivial matters never had this effect on him. But then again…these weren't trivial matters; his emotional stability was indeed hanging in the balance.

_'…I'm just what?'_ Kendra repeated.

'…_**Th-thy is just…I'm just tired-'**_

_'No. I'm not lettin' ya run dis time.'_ Kendra thought in determination as she leaned back into the chair with her arms folded. She wasn't going to wait any longer; the dark skin girl was sick and tired of the immortal's mood swings, bickering, and secrecy. He was acting like a woman on her monthly period for the Christ sake!

'_**Does thy truly believe that I'll listen to thy?!'**_ Anima scoffed at the stubborn girl; it was almost laughable to think that his own host was trying to tell him what to do.

'_**I'll just disconnect our thoughts and leave insolent child-'**_

_'I know…'_ Kendra responded calmly.

_'I know dat…cause ya a'ways do dat. But then I figured, just 'cause ya disconnect our thoughts…it doesn' mean dat ya can't see and hear what I think or do.'_

_**'…'**_

_'So I was right. Talk to me Anima. Tell me about the pain that you're suffering through-'_

'_**No! This discussion is over child!'**_ Anima shouted as he finally cut off his thoughts from Kendra. The magic sensor didn't let up though and continued to barrage the immortal with her prying words.

_'No, it's not! I've been puttin' up wit your emotional crap for long enough! Tell me what's wrong! Ya a'ready know dat I at least care 'bout you! And I haven' forgotten 'bout dat time when ya said dat ya cared 'bout me too!'_ Kendra pleaded; but she only heard her own thoughts.

_'C'mon Anima, it's just us…'_ She began in a softer tone.

_'…Even though you're an egotistic…annoying…and big headed immortal who thinks an ostrich is called a giant two legged chicken, I still want to help you. I bet you're wondering why; why the hell would I even care about a soul living inside of me who wants to take control of my mind.'_ Kendra's hazel eyes looked upwards and stared into nothingness as her facial features softened considerably. She could feel her sincere intentions seeping out of her and prepared to lay it out on the table for Anima.

The transfer student just couldn't take the silence from him anymore; she didn't know why initially, but it wasn't long until she came to a conclusion.

As incredibly stupid, and unbelievable as it was; Kendra saw Anima as a friend of some sorts. The constants arguments that they always had weren't really arguments; they were just chiding each other.

Throwing playful insults back and forth like they were long time best friends seemed to come so naturally to them; and no sore feelings were made. Now Kendra knew why she cared so much about Anima, why she wants to help him so badly. It was just one of her pet peeves; to see one of her friends suffer and not do anything about it. The thoughtful transfer student sighed to herself.

_'…I…I see you as a friend Anima. You might think it's crazy and illogical…but I just do okay? I don't understand why I do either, but no one can predict what their hearts do; mine just decided to form an attachment to you. That's why I care so much. I'm not just being some nosey stubborn chick who's trying to pry into your business…I'm a friend who wants to listen to your pain and help you. Like I've said so…so many times…you deserve help…'_ Kendra finished as her last few words cracked with heavy emotion.

The transfer student groaned to herself as she felt a familiar sting behind her eyes; she never did like getting so emotional, and she's been doing a lot of crying lately. Crying just seemed like a show of weakness to her. Kendra swiftly rubbed her eyes with her sleeve; refusing to allow those salty tears squeeze past her eyelids.

_'God…I'm being kinda pathetic right now. But I've told you everything Anima…I've practically served my deepest emotions to you on a plate here…So don't be a selfish bastard alright? Don't let my efforts go to waste…please…'_ Kendra waited a few moments in hopes that she'd get a response from Anima…but there was still nothing. After all that the transfer student had said, none of her words reached the green haired immortal.

"Seriously?!" Kendra shouted in frustration as she abruptly sat up in her seat.

"Nothin'?! After all dat I've said to ya…and I get nothin'?!" She couldn't believe that Anima was doing this; sure he usually left Kendra in the middle of a conversation a lot, but the dark skin girl really thought he would do something differently this time.

"…fine…" Kendra mumbled dejectedly as she once again picked up the remote and turned the TV back on; her hazel orbs cloudy with betrayal and restrained tears.

"…I give up…don' tell me anythin'. I tried to help ya, but all ya do is push me away-" Her gloomy words halted as she flipped to the news channel and noticed the words 'Three Men in South Carolina Missing' displayed in bold headlines. A news anchor reported the whereabouts of these three men.

"_22 year old, Randy Goodwin…23 year old, Zack Housing…and 25 year old, Jonny Wilkerson were announced missing last night. The police are currently doing the best they can to track down the three civilians, but it is said that the evidence is little to nothing. But, they have set up a restricted zone along a sidewalk which was located near the city in which their family members have said that the missing men were last night. It is highly likely that they were murdered due to the three scorch marks left behind…"_

"Damn…so they were burned to death? Dat's a terrible way to die..." Kendra muttered as once again, a chill traveled up her spine, _'again?!'_ The magic sensor thought in disbelief. Where were all of these spine chills coming from? Was she getting sick? Kendra sure hoped that wasn't the case; the last thing wanted was have another problem with her body on her hands…

* * *

><p>The dark abyss; which served as Kendra and Anima's meeting spot within the magic sensor's subconscious, was only occupied by one…immortal persona. Anima sat in the middle of the never ending darkness; his knees pulled up to his stoic face with an arm wrapped around them. The other armored arm was held up to the endless space in front of him with his hand glowing a pleasant green aura. Emerging from his glowing hand was a stream of emerald energy that outstretched a few feet ahead and expanded out into a giant jade sphere.<p>

A fuzzy memory was depicted within the ball of energy. It displayed Anima, but in his living days…and before he received his soul manipulating powers. He stood in the middle of a large and beautiful grassland with the sun shining calmly; hovering in the baby blue sky as wispy clouds drifted by.

To put it shortly; it was a nearly perfect day and Anima was sharing it with the two most important people in his human life. A gorgeous woman who looked to be in her mid-twenties with blonde hair that reached just below her shoulders was relaxing casually on a spread out blanket as she watched Anima in amusement. Apparently, a young girl with looks that resembled the beautiful woman but with eyes matching Anima's own was tugging the soon-to-be immortal's sleeve eagerly.

"_Come on daddy!"_

"_Why is thy so giddy?"_

"_Daddy's so slow! Come on! Come on! I've gotta show thy something!"_ The two fuzzy figures trotted along and into a nearby small forest filled with blooming flowers.

"…" Anima's lifeless green eyes stared dully at his happy face. He seemed so content back then…to think he ruined it just because he gave into his curiosity. How could he be so foolish?

"_Look daddy! Isn't it pretty?"_ The little girl said as she pointed gleefully at the alluring flower. It was a tubular shaped plant made up of four porcelain white petals; the tips coming up to a downward outside curve. Grayish-green fuzzy leaves were decorated around the jade stem; it in a way withheld the white flora in a fluffy bush of nature. The excited little girl was right; it did look pretty.

"_Yes…it is pretty. But not as pretty as my little girl…"_ Past Anima said happily as he scooped up the giggling little girl into his arms. It wasn't long until her delicate laughter became contagious and compelled the green haired father to laugh as well.

"_Do thy know what this flower is called?"_ He asked his daughter joyfully. She shook her head with her curious filled green eyes never leaving Anima's.

"_It is called a Sacred Green Thorn Apple…does thy see how the opening is closed?"_ Anima pointed at where the four white petals were enclosed together at the top of the tube. His daughter nodded.

"_Mhm! Why is it closed daddy? Does the flower not like us?"_

"_Nothing could ever dislike thy. They only open at night…but then close once again in the morning…do thy want one? There are plenty of them in the village's floral shop." _To Anima's slight surprise, his daughter only smiled sadly at the man and then replied in a kind tone.

"_No…daddy doesn't need to buy me anything. Our money is low…and thy already does so much for us. All I need is daddy!"_ She shouted in a bubbly tone; a complete change in attitude from the much wiser one she just used. Anima momentarily stared at his child in disbelief before showcasing a prideful smile.

"_Thy grows up so quickly! I'll dread the day when I can't call thy my little girl anymore…who taught thy these wise words?"_

"_Momma did! She said that we both should help thy since thy works so hard for us!"_ Anima chuckled at his daughter's innocent words; so she was just repeating what her mother said. He could still tell that the care was there though; and that was more than enough to make him feel like life was perfect as it was.

"_Thy and thy's mother shouldn't have to worry so much about my work…we are getting by just fine."_ The blonde haired girl stubbornly shook her head in defiance however.

"_No. Momma and I love daddy…so we think thy deserves help!"_

"_Is that so? Well then, I must be the luckiest man alive to have such wonderful girls by my side!" _Anima laughed gladly as he shifted his hold on the little girl before turning in the direction of the open grass fields.

"_How about we go back now Gemma? Momma is waiting for us."_ As if the said woman heard Anima's voice in the distance, his wife waved at the father and daughter.

"_Hey momma!"_ The young girl shouted as she waved both hands with childish glee. Anima gave a small wave as well with his free hand and then began to calmly stroll over to the blanket his wife was still resting upon.

The blurry memory began to fade out into blackness; signaling the end of Anima's snippet recollection. Before it was completely engulfed in the darkness, Anima's shimmering green hand flicked ever so slightly; commanding the sphere to track back.

Just like hitting replay on a VCR, the image began to rewind every motion, every sentence…every smile. Then, it halted just as Anima's daughter, Gemma shook her head.

"_No. Momma and I love daddy…so we think thy deserves help!"_

Anima flicked his wrist again.

"_No. Momma and I love daddy…so we think thy deserves help!"_

He flicked it again.

"…_we think thy deserves help!"_

A tear slowly slid down his pale cheek. He replayed it again.

"…_thy deserves help!"_

_**"…Stella…Gemma…"**_

"…_Momma and I love daddy…"_

"…_I love daddy…"_

_**"…Kendra…help me..."**_ He muttered miserably as the giant orb of forest green energy dispersed with a wave of his arm. He then took that same arm and placed his palm upon his face. Those two pools of emerald within his pupils were swirling like an ocean storm once again…

* * *

><p>"Gather all around everyone! Come and get a first look at our transfer student's article!" Kazumi shouted as she began to pass around copies of her finally finished article on Kendra.<p>

The girls of 3-A intently gazed upon the cover page. Taking up practically the entire top half was an enlarged picture. It was a snap shot of Zazie and Kendra tightly hugging each other with the large group of students surrounding them. Towards the edge of the picture; Shintaki's butterfly knife could be seen lying on the ground. This is the moment when the magic sensor was nearly stabbed after her big fight.

Across the top of the newspaper in large print it read, 'THE POWER OF A MYSTERIOUS STUDENT'S LOVE'. Right below that picture was another one, but less than half the size as the top picture. It showed Kendra landing a right punch dead in 'animal control' girl's face. Right next to it was a small, two paragraph summary.

_Guinyard Kendra, age 15, and Mahora's new transfer student took on the campus's most violent and scariest group of bullies. The reason why…would make any girl go weak in the knees from awe and admiration. Guinyard-San tried to ignore the three girls, but then faced them head on once they began to insult Zazie Rainyday…Guinyard-San's girlfriend. As impossible as it seemed, the lone-wolf overwhelmed the bullies and won the fight without even receiving a scratch! As biased as this will sound, this author must admit that Rainyday-San is a very lucky girl to have such a protective and brave girlfriend._

_What was even more shocking though, was what happened at the end of the fight. When Guinyard-San let her guard down and believed everyone was down for good, Shintaki-San, head of the three bullies, pulled out a weapon and attacked her. Not just some blunt weapon either, but an actual butterfly knife. Here's another author biased insert, Guinyard-San went total Chuck Norris, spun around, knocked the knife out of Shintaki-San's hands, and punched her lights out! As a result of this fight, Guinyard-San is suspended for five days…but the bullies were expelled. One reason was because of the actual use of a weapon. The second reason being that they indeed did start the fight. And the final one, students have admitted to their past bullying thanks to the confidence and feeling of safety that Guinyard-San have given them. All this newspaper reporter can say is…bravo Guinyard Kendra…bravo._

That wasn't all either. At the bottom right section of the cover page, there was yet another picture. It was the same size as the one with Kendra punching 'animal control' girl but this time it presented Kendra and Zazie standing next to the dormitory building entrance. The magic sensor had a small, warm, and surprisingly meaningful smile on her face while holding up a piece sign.

It was unknown in the picture who exactly Kendra was smiling at…but it did clearly display the tan half demon's hand intertwined with Kendra's.

Kazumi had to thank Sayo for that one. If her ghostly companion didn't have the camera with the advanced zoom module on her, then the opportunity to snag such an awarding picture would've never been possible.

_If the reason behind the fight wasn't evidence enough for Guinyard Kendra's hidden pure nature, then take a look at this stunning smile! Who would've thought she could actually pull something like that off? Many of the students who were interviewed about their opinions on Guinyard-San all said that she was scary and hard to talk to. At first, the author of this article fully agreed, but after the events that have occurred recently, my thoughts are slowly changing. Some students also believed that Guinyard-San and Rainyday-San are in a secret relationship. If this picture of them holding hands and Guinyard-San smiling isn't convincing enough…then I'll just have to find some more proof for my next article! ;)_

And that concluded Kazumi's cover page and introduction to Mahora Academy's Kendra Guinyard.

"So that's what happened…" Setsuna muttered as she finished reading Kendra's article. The Hanyou wasn't very ecstatic when the magic sensor said she was suspended, but now that she knew why; the swordswoman could relate to how the magic sensor felt. If someone insulted her Konochan, Kami knows that sword steel would be flying in under a second. The two friends were just that protective of their lovers.

"Awwww! Kendra-San is so sweet!" Makie squealed; her fear of the transfer student temporarily forgotten.

"I know! It's so romantic! She's like Zazie-San's knight in shining armor!" Sakurako Shiina, 3-A's most cheerful cheerleader with a slightly abnormal love for karaoke commented excitedly.

"Hey, hey! Does this couple remind you of anyone else~" Haruna asked her classmates with an impish grin. The gossip girls of 3-A smiled knowingly back at the perverted Otaku.

"THE PRINCESS AND HER SWORDSWOMAN!" They all shouted teasingly as the said two girls jumped from the sudden spotlight being thrown on them. As everyone expected, Setsuna blushed slightly from the attention as Konoka smiled brightly while bringing the Hanyou into a loving bear hug.

"See? I told you guys she was nice!" The mage princess replied happily; not even reacting to how her girlfriend was stumbling over her words from the sudden physical contact.

"Y-yeah, she's always been o-on our side t-to begin with." The students continued to squeal like fan girls as they began to talk more and more about Mahora's new hot topic, Kendra and Zazie.

Negi, who was standing behind his podium, decided that it was an impossible dream to even think that he could get the exhilarated girls' attention. So, in the end, the child wizard just settled for watching his bustling students in amusement until homeroom was over. But before class 3-A could get to the really juicy subjects that Haruna was about to spill on the new couple, there was yet still one student who couldn't quite accept this.

"I still don't know guys." Yuna interjected.

"Eh?" Makie and Sakurako stared quizzically at the basketball player along with the rest of the class.

"I'm just saying! This is sweet and everything but…I still don't feel comfortable around her okay?!" Yuna huffed as she leaned back into her chair until her eyes landed on a specific student who was quietly typing away on her laptop.

"You agree with me! Right, Chisame-San?!" The orange-haired net idol referred to as Chisame, only grunted without tearing her bespectacled eyes away from her computer screen.

"See?! Chisame-San thinks so too!" Yuna shouted as she pointed victoriously at the secluded classmate.

"What're you talking about?! Chisame-San says that to everyone! Hey, Chisame-San, do you hate manga?!" Haruna shouted heatedly; her competitive side getting the best of her.

Chisame grunted again.

"You're going to buy me a brand new car for my birthday this year, right?!"

Chisame grunted again.

"I'm the sexiest girl at this school right?!"

"Hell no." Haruna turned back to Yuna with a broad and zealous smile on her face.

"See?! She only gru-HEY!" The perverted Otaku suddenly realized as she turned back to Chisame with a pout feigning hurt. The reluctant basketball player deadpanned at the senseless discussion, weren't they talking about Kendra?

"Yeahhh…anyways, I'm sorry if everyone else thinks I'm being a paranoid party pooper, but I'm not just gonna change my opinion on her in just one day."

"You're just scared aren't you?" Makie said coyly as a light blush of embarrassment flared up on Yuna's cheeks.

"I-It's not like I'm the only one who's scared of her! Weren't you terrified of Kendra-San too?!"

"Not anymore though! How can a scary person do something that sweet? She's probably not as scary as we all thought!" Makie quickly shot back; feeling slight relief as she heard a few other students back her up on the matter.

"I agree. Kendra-San doesn't really seem that bad, maybe a little withdrawn, but nothing too serious." Yue added blandly before taking another sip of her seaweed peach flavored juice…quite a taste she's got there.

"U-um…" Nodoka started shyly as she hesitated at first but then stated somewhat firmly.

"Me too…K-Kendra-San is actually a n-nice person…" Yuna stared at the shy bookworm in shock; of all of the people to stand up for the ruthless and mysterious transfer student who chill down anyone's spine, she was not expecting one of them to be Nodoka.

"N-Nodoka-San…you too?! Ugh! What is with everyone?! Am I the only sane person in this class?!" Everyone could've sworn they heard Chisame grumble something like, 'she's gotta be freakin' kidding me, I'm the only normal one around here', but it was ignored anyways.

"Ah, calm down Yuna-San! It isn't like you to get stressed over something so little like this anyway!" Kazumi stated casually as she watched her flabbergasted classmate in amusement. _'Geez, I think Kendra-San's force field really did a number on Yuna-San.'_ She thought humorously.

"…just give her a chance Yuna-San…" Yuna quickly spun to face Makie once again with a challenging expression.

"No way!" However, instead of shouting back like Yuna expected, Makie only held up her hands in defiance and shook her head.

"I didn't say anything!"

"Eh? Err…then Haruna-San? Kazumi-San?" The paparazzi and Otaku shook their heads as well; leaving the basketball player deeper in confusion.

Suddenly, Asuna, who has been silent this entire time, sighed in exasperation before shouting at her baffled friends.

"Guys! Look towards the door, jeez!" The girls, including Negi, didn't hesitate to snap their heads in the direction of the sliding doors.

There, leaning casually against the wooden door frame and staring blankly back at her homeroom classmates' mildly surprised eyes was none other than Zazie Rainyday.

"Just one little chance Yuna-San…that's all I'm asking…then you'll see who Kendra really is…" The tan demon repeated calmly; not at all shaken up by the multiple stares she was receiving. Not because she thought nothing of those curious eyes staying glued to her, but mostly because she was a little upset at the moment.

The quiet acrobat practically heard the entire conversation, and she wasn't exactly fond of Yuna's opinions about her lover.

"…Z-Zazie-San? How much did you hear?" Yuna asked sheepishly as she rubbed the back of her head. She was sort of sitting in a dangerous spot right now; being caught talking junk about a friend's girlfriend and all.

Zazie, with her blank mask as present as ever, leaned off the door frame and casually strolled over to her seat which in the process…she would have to pass by Yuna's desk. As the seemingly calm acrobat took no more than half a step past Yuna, without looking down at her, Zazie whispered lowly.

"I heard everything by the way." If the pit of Yuna's stomach was previously a calm sea, then it was definitely a raging and swirling storm by now from how on edge that simple statement made her feel.

Finally, as if a whole hour went by when in all actuality it was just a mere second, Zazie completely walked pass Yuna and continued onward to her seat.

"Err.." Yuna started dumbly before turning around to face Zazie.

"…um…I-I'm sorry?" The basketball player felt so uneasy; how could a few simple words quake her to the core like this? The possessive half demon abruptly stopped at her seat, hand resting steadily on the smooth wooden surface.

"…don't apologize to me…apologize to Kendra-San…after you get to know her." Yuna gulped.

"H-hai" Setsuna secretly sighed to herself in relief when she once again felt Zazie's returning aura get pulled back in. _'She's…really protective of Kendra-San too…'_ Setsuna thought with a cold sweat; the silent girl can be seriously terrifying at times.

Right on cue, Setsuna and Mana traded glances from across the room, their eyes portraying similar messages. _'We're going to have to keep a close eye on Zazie.'_ They thought simultaneously. Negi, who was considerably paler all of a sudden, glided his trembling fingers along the paper work scattered across his podium.

"L-let's take attendance everyone!" He announced in a forced chipper tone; matching his forced chipper smile. Just like him, the spooked girls forced themselves to act as normal as possible; the petrifying moment pushed aside for another time. The memory would still nag in the back of their heads for the rest of that day though; especially for Yuna.

"S-Setsuna-San"

"Here"

"Chizuru-San"

"Here"

"Ayaka-San"

"Not here…" Asuna answered dully; her head resting in her right hand pitifully. Negi, who could never leave a miserable student alone, stared worriedly upon the red heads unusually gloomy features.

"Asuna-San, are you feeling well? Do you need to see the nurse?" Asuna denied Negi's questions however as she raised her hand to halt his words.

"I'm fine Negi-San…just tired…" The red head lied. The real reason why she felt so dismal… and so empty, was because she felt bored out of her mind; even with all this big Kendra news going around. It didn't grab her attention in the slightest. Something was missing, and she knew what, but would never accept it as the truth.

Asuna Kagurazaki, hot blooded and loud mouthed jokester of class 3-A…actually missed Ayaka Yukihiro, the snobby and up tight pedophile of a class president. She wanted to argue with her; to have that wonderful feeling of adrenaline and excitement when they got in each other's face. It was so much fun for her, but she didn't think she'd crave the girl's attention from just one day of absence. Was she really that attached to her? Sure they knew each other since they were kids, but was an attachment this strong normal? The confused red-head did a good job of hiding her feelings about this yesterday, since that is when these crazy thoughts started, but she had no motivation to cover them up today.

"Oh…" Negi started, obviously not believing a word Asuna said. He decided to leave the subject alone for now though.

"Well, does anyone know why Ayaka-San isn't present today? It's highly unusual for her to be absent."

"…she's still recovering from that time she fainted…" Asuna muttered.

"Ah, thank you, Asuna-San" Her bi-chromatic eyes just looked through Negi as she nodded once in acknowledgment; her mind not fully immersed with reality…

* * *

><p>"…what'll you think he'll do to her?"<p>

"…I don' know…but also…what'll he do wit us?"

"…I can' die yet. I've said some things to her dat I didn' mean…I didn' support her Sam…" There was a long silence. Sam and Shon sat on the dusty floor back-to-back, their cloudy pupils studying the almost imperceptible wall in front of them. To Shon's left and Sam's right, was the still wrapped Twinkie; and further ahead of it was the locked door.

Kendra's father sighed hopelessly as he heard a deep growl resound from his empty stomach before tilting his head back. Those pair of misty brown orbs lazily followed the flickering light bulb's swinging motion. The back and forth movement almost serving as a therapeutic trance, momentarily allowing Sam to escape the cruel reality that he was in for a mere moment.

"I know how ya feel…what do ya think Kendra thinks of me? I know she looks up to me…but I haven' been da most carin' father when she was 'lil…" He asked sorrowfully, the man's voice hoarse from going such a long time without water; how they were still alive was a mystery in itself.

"…I doubt it…Kendra knows how much ya care…and you weren' da one who went against her dreams…I was so selfish…"

"Stop" Sam commanded firmly; nudging Shon's shoulder with his own.

"You weren' selfish…ya just didn' want to see ya 'lil girl go…too bad ya was a'ways so bad at wordin' things." For the first time since the parents were imprisoned, Sam cracked a small smile.

"…shut up…at least I don' have a bad habit of poppin' gum when I chew it. Seriously, it drives me insane when ya do dat." Shon countered weakly. It still helped to widen Sam's grin though.

"Well…at least I don' get hype ova a soap opera like a grown man gets hype ova a football game."

"…shut up…" Shon whispered in defeat. Sam chuckled quietly before Shon shortly joined in. The laughter didn't last long, but it was definitely a necessity about their relationship that the parents missed deeply.

"How long has it been?" Shon asked.

"What?"

"Since we've actually talked like dis…" Sam hummed to himself for a second before nudging his wife's shoulder again.

"A long while actually. I think it's 'cause ya don't have dat TV wit da soap operas anymore."

"Hah! And you don' have ya lazy boy chair or newspaper on ya…let's not forget an ice cold beer too."

"Shut up" Sam replied with a lopsided grin; it was amazing that they could keep their spirits up in a dire time like this. There was another long pause; Sam and Shon just enjoying the much lighter atmosphere even though the small room's stuffiness never subsided.

"…I hope she's okay…" Shon randomly mumbled as a single bitter tear slid down her cheek. Sam sighed before resting his head against Shon's.

"…she has to be…she's our daughter. We've taught her how to take care of herself." He encouraged with as much pride as his drained body would allow. Sam was a very egotistic man when he wanted to be, and his daughter was definitely one of the reasons why…

* * *

><p>Kendra didn't have to wait too long before the rings were cut off by Deveron's voice.<p>

"Yo"

"Hey Deveron…ya know da drill. How's dad?"

"Same as a'ways. I'm startin' to get tired of feelin' on edge 'bout all of dis ya know? Just knowin' dat he could wake up at any secon' and all…" Kendra nodded in understanding; Deveron wasn't the only one feeling anxious from all the waiting.

"Yeah, feelin' da same ova here…hey um…have ya been makin' any friends? Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I've got a friend." Deveron answered immediately. The magic sensor smiled widely as she sat up in her bed.

"Really? Is it a boy or a girl?"

"…"

"…hello? Deveron?" Kendra called out but then raised an eyebrow quizzical as she heard a chuckle from the other side of the phone line.

"S-sorry, but ya sound like woman who just gave birth. 'Oh my gosh! Is it a girl or a boy?! Let me see my baby!' " Deveron teased.

"Ha-ha" The transfer student responded sarcastically.

"Just tell me 'bout dis friend ya got a'ready."

"Err…well, a-actually, this perso-"

"It's a girl isn't it…and ya like her don' you?" Kendra grinned mischievously as she only heard silence from her friend.

"…maybe…"

"Dat's great homeboy! See? I told ya there's plenty more single fish out in da single sea! Have ya told her yet?" Kendra pried, not at all catching another person's low laughter in the background.

"Yeah, I did. Dat's da thing though…we're actually goin' out."

"So lover boy's snagged himself a keeper?! Dat's awesome!" Kendra responded happily; glad that her friend Deveron wouldn't feel lonely back in South Carolina.

"Thanks"

"So…"

"….so what?" Kendra rolled her eyes at her friend's cluelessness.

"So, tell me 'bout her!"

"Oh…well, she's kinda like dat Zazie person ya told me 'bout."

"Really? How?"

"…"

"…Deveron?"

BEEP!...BEEP!...BEEP!

Kendra stared at her phone screen in mild surprise; the phone line was cut off.

"Was it somethin' I said?"…

* * *

><p>Alright! That's all for now! Nothing very interesting happened in this chapter, and I'm deeply sorry for that, but I' promise more will happen a chapter or two later. So please, be patient with me, pretty please? :)<p>

So, until then, please...

CLICK THE BLUE BUTTON. -.-


	23. Chapter 23

Man...all I can say is that I'm sorry. I don't have a good excuse for my extremely late update. So if you are feeling upset with me, then I understand. Hell, even I'm upset with me! -.-'

So, I'll just cut to the chase here since I've kept you guys waiting long enough already...

Disclaimer: I do not own Negima or any of its characters.

Now please, enjoy the chapter! :)

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 23<strong>

"…Kazumi-San did a r-really good job wi-with that article on Kendra-San, d-didn't she?" Nodoka asked Yue from behind her library desk.

Yue, who was seated at a table not too far ahead of Nodoka, halted her book organizing and turned back to her purple haired friend.

"Yes…it sort of surprised me that Kazumi-San wrote so many compliments for Kendra-San in her article." Nodoka was surprised about the same thing as well.

"I-It is. Do you think i-it's because of when w-we read her thoughts yesterday?" The bookworm wondered meekly. The shorter girl pushed her chair back and rose from the table; deciding that she's done enough book arranging for the moment.

"Most likely. Kazumi-San isn't the type to sound so admiring of her story topic. She usually gives the facts in the bluntest and sometimes most interesting way possible." Yue guessed as she seated herself in her own individual desk next to Nodoka's. The shy bookworm nodded in agreement.

"Maybe so…w-where's Kazumi-San a-anyways?" She questioned meekly while scanning around the library curiously. The paparazzi duo was supposed to meet up with Nodoka and Yue in Mahora's second famous location; Library Island. But alas, the red head and her ghostly companion were running a few minutes late. Even though Yue didn't show it; she was feeling a little anxious of their arrival. Not because of their presence really, but what they would do afterwards. The four girls decided yesterday to do some research on this Anima person that was mentioned in Kendra's thoughts. It wasn't much at all, but it was definitely as good as a start as any in finding out the magic sensor's secret.

Finally, both bookworms' impatience subsided when they realized the large double doors slowly swing open to reveal Kazumi and Sayo in all their innocent yet sometimes sneaky glory.

"Nodoka-San, Yue-San, how's it going?!" Kazumi greeted audaciously but then halted to stare quizzically at all three girls holding a finger over their lips. It took moment for the wheels to turn in the red head's brain before realizing what they meant. She apologized, only in a much lower volume than before.

"Gomen, I forgot this is a library." _'Kinda hard to forget when you're surrounded by thousands of books'_ Yue thought with a sweat drop but then dismissively waved off Kazumi's apology.

"It's fine, Kazumi-San. Let's just get to work and research about this Anima person already."

"Ai, ai captain Ayase." Kazumi retorted cheekily with a small salute.

"At ease" Yue replied blandly without looking back at the slightly surprised news reporter. _'She played along?'_ She thought incredulously. The paparazzi quickly shook off her musings and followed the library duo with Sayo tagging right along.

"So where do we even start with this whole Anima research thing?" Kazumi questioned as Yue settled down into the chair of a computer desk. Nodoka grabbed a chair from a nearby reading table and sat to her blue haired best friend's right. The journalist did the same but sitting to Yue's left while curiously eyeing the computer screen.

The short girl clicked the mouse over the internet icon and quickly typed into a Google search box with almost robotic movements; years of working on the library's computers had sharpened her typing skills significantly. Kazumi sweat dropped.

"Err…Yue-San, I don't think Google would have anything useful for us. I mean, this Anima guy might have something to do with magic which isn't even known yet…" The skeptical red head didn't receive a response at first as Yue just kept searching through the multiple links that appeared from her search. As she clicked on a Latin Translator website and began to ask for the English translation of Anima, the focusing girl finally answered without tearing her eyes away from the screen.

"I know" And that was it; there was no extensive explanation that followed Yue's response. This resulted in Kazumi, Sayo, and even Nodoka to smile nervously.

"Yue-San…I-I think you should e-explain it to them." Nodoka suggested weakly. Just then, the Latin to English translation for Anima popped up in the results box. There it read soul.

"Soul huh…" Yue muttered to herself before back tracking a couple pages and returning to the list of links she had before. Kazumi sighed in childish impatience.

"Come on Yue-San, tell me what's going on-"

"So it might be just what I thought. I've read some books on historical heroes and came across this legend. The book never stated who this man's name was…but it did mention that his main powers were soul manipulations." Nodoka decided to pitch in her own suspicions on the subject as well.

"We think th-that maybe the man in these legends and A-Anima are the same p-person."

"But that could be a really lucky shot if the book and Kendra-San were talking about the same person." Sayo interjected; she still had hope beaming through her tone though. Kazumi leaned back into her chair while stroking her chin in a contemplating manner.

"Well…let's just say that this was true for a second here. Do you remember anything about that historical hero you read about Yue-San?" Yue sat still in her seat for a moment, her eyes clearly showing the deep thought that she was in.

"…It said something about the man taking many souls because of something tragic that happened to him. It didn't go into detail about the tragedy…it just kept going on about the statistics on the amount of lives that he took and how; which was through soul manipulating abilities." Something in Kazumi's eyes twinkled from that statement. She could just barely feel the tell-tale sensation of a huge connection or discovery in the works. This approaching signal that was eagerly beckoning for Kazumi's attention was her paparazzi instincts; and the journalist was gonna follow it.

"Do you still have the book?" Kazumi questioned immediately. The shorter girl stared quizzically at her classmate's sudden stern features but went along with it anyways; it wasn't every day that a face like that was etched onto the new reporter's face.

"No. I've already read the entire book. It should still be in the library though, unless someone else checked it out but I doubt that." Yue stood up from her chair; Kazumi and Nodoka doing same with a motivation to dig deeper into this mystery.

"Do you remember what section the book is in Yue-San?" Sayo asked as she floated over to the said girl's side. Yue made a pondering expression for a moment; for once not entirely sure of where to start. Library Island was huge, huger than huge, and even though the bookworm duo spent tremendous amounts of time there and learned practically every turn and twist; Yue just couldn't quite remember where she placed that one specific book.

"Um…" Nodoka started shyly.

"I think I m-may have ran into a book like th-that a few days ago while checking the sh-shelves. I could show you where."

"Then let's not waste any more time." Surprisingly enough, the blunt statement didn't come from the ever blunt Yue but from an entirely focused Kazumi.

"Lead the way Nodoka-San." Both Nodoka and Yue glanced at Sayo; wordlessly requesting an answer for Kazumi's unusually serious behavior. The best friends were caught off guard for a second time today.

Sayo did not appear to be as lost as the other two were. A gentle smile was gracing her features as she stared upon Kazumi's determined face. That small grin beamed with so much pride. _'What's going on with these two?'_ Yue wondered and then coughed into her fist. This question would have to be approached another time; so she'll just forget this for now.

"Right, how about you show us where you found the book Nodoka-San?" The shy girl only nodded once in response; feeling a little distracted from her suspicions on the red head's change of attitude.

Huge may have been an understatement for the actual size of Mahora's library because it almost felt like a journey for Kazumi and Sayo. Neither girls voiced their complaints though, especially Kazumi. Her paparazzi instincts were continuously advising her to be patient; questions would be answered soon enough.

Her instincts came through for her again. Nodoka finally halted at a shelf that looked to have been collecting a little dust over the years unlike other shelves that were usually waxed clean at least three times a week. The purple haired girl traced a timid hand over the lined up titles of multiple books facing her until stopping on one. This book's condition stuck out like a sore thumb compared to the others. Nodoka pulled it out of its slot with a tug that required a little effort and stared somewhat displeasingly at its run down appearance.

It was a hard back book, but it could've been mistaken for paper back if a person didn't pay enough attention to the immensely softened structure of it. The book was also green…with greenish-brown blotches of grime scattered around it. The edges of the pages were also spotted with dark beige flaws; signs of perhaps liquid or oils that previously came into contact with the paper. The book seemed so ancient and worn out; Yue had read from this? Yue's next statement would give the others suspicion that she was actually a mind reader.

"Yes, I read it. The title seemed interesting to me so I decided to give it a shot. It was surprisingly more interesting than it looked." Kazumi and Sayo blinked dumbly in response.

"No I don't read minds. I just rationalize." _'She did it again!'_ is what Kazumi and Sayo thought simultaneously.

Nodoka stared at the somewhat faded out lettering of the title curiously.

"Legend of the Heroic Shikigami…" She muttered to herself.

"A Shikigami…" Kazumi started as she cupped her chin with her hand thoughtfully.

"…isn't that like some kind of mythical being that says whether someone will go to heaven or hell after they die?" Kazumi turned to Yue for confirmation.

"That's correct." The news reporter sighed before plopping down on a lounging chair; one of many placed throughout the enormous building.

"Well…let's get reading then." Kazumi could tell that this would take some time judging by the many pages the old book seemed to hold…

* * *

><p><em>'I can't believe I'm doing this!'<em> Asuna screamed in her mind; stomping grumpily along the paved pathway. She really was wondering why she even wanted to go to that place; well her in denial side was anyways. But then there was that small and almost always ignored part of her subconscious that had a different view on the matter at hand. It was a simple four worded phrase to explain the reason behind the hyper red head's actions. _'I'm checking on her-NO DAMMIT!'_ Asuna's stubborn side interjected furiously.

Her inner turmoil continued for a while until finally pulling back to reality at the familiar scene of a beautiful lane covered in the most up kept flora a rich family could possibly provide. This was the extensively long driveway that leads to the gates of the Yukihiro mansion.

Asuna abruptly stopped in her tracks with a hesitant bite of her lower lip. Her bi-chromatic eyes explained all too clearly the amount of uncertainty she felt from doing this. What was she supposed to say? Asuna just decided to come here off a whim; a whim that's been nagging on her mind persistently for two days straight. _'The hell am I supposed to say? Hey Iincho just came over to check up on you? No, then she'll think I've caught some whacky disease that makes me suddenly care about her!'_

Asuna's spine went rigid,_ '…not that I care about her or anything!'_ There goes that stubborn in denial side of hers again.

Mumbles and whispered hysterics of the fiery red head were the only things heard in the pleasant atmosphere as Asuna approached further down the walk way. Finally, she could see just up ahead the giant steel gates of Ayaka's home. Already knowing the drill; Asuna stood next to the messenger box and casually awaited a familiar voice to escape it.

KSHHH!

"This is the Yukihiro residence. Please state what business you have here."

"Open up Sebastian! You already know who I am." Asuna cracked a haughty grin when she recognized the sound of someone clicking their tongue in distaste in response.

"Ah…it's you Asuna-San…"

"Glad you're so happy to see me Sebastian. Now seriously, open the gates already."

"Not until you state your business with Ayaka-Sama." Asuna sighed and rolled her eyes.

"I came to check on her! Open the gates Sebastian!"

"…What's the capital of Africa-"

"Sebastian!" The man's voice cackled over the intercom.

"Hai, hai, Asuna-San" With a definite squeak, the giant gateway began to automatically swing open to reveal yet another exquisitely up kept floral garden. Down the center of it was a fairly lengthy walkway that lead to Ayaka's mansion; the path branching off to the side for the garage.

"I'll seriously never get use to this…" Asuna muttered in slight awe as her expressive orbs scanned her surroundings curiously while approaching the door. As soon as her right foot made contact with the door mat, the door itself was opened promptly by a butler.

His nose was raised ever so slightly in the air as his smug nature openly emitted from him. He wore the classic black 'penguin suit', as Asuna would put it, as his porcelain white gloved hand held the gold encrusted door knob. Finally, his black hair was slicked back by obviously too much hair gel since it glistened significantly every time light shined on it.

"Asuna-San" The butler greeted somewhat regrettably. The red head raised her nose to mock the butler and replied in a rich person impersonation.

"Why Sebastian old chap, it's a true pleasure to be relished in your presence again. I also see that your hair gel reservoir hasn't run low as well."

"Bet you only knew five words in that entire statement. As expected of your low vocabulary I suppose." Sebastian shot back, still not allowing Asuna entrance into the mansion and eyeing her in expectance for another comeback. His expectations were met.

"Bet I can break the record in how far I can shove my foot-" Sebastian held up his hand to silence the girl and then slowly revealed a broad smile. Asuna smiled back just a widely and patted Sebastian's shoulder while laughing.

"Gomen, gomen! I just got carried away with the game a little!" The grinning butler waved off Asuna's apology with a chuckle of his own.

"No harm done Asuna-San. Just try to keep your passion for the game under wraps the next time you visit. But for today, I won." Sebastian bowed once as if he was thanking an audience; succeeding in his goal to irritate Asuna a little.

If there was one thing Asuna disliked, it was losing.

"Okay, okay! I swear; if your head got any bigger it would have its own orbit. Just take me to Ayaka-San already." Sebastian stood from his bow with a mocking smirk plastered onto her face, _'cocky little…'_ Asuna's mind growled.

"Hai, Asuna-San, please follow me." The victorious butler began to lead Asuna to Ayaka's room which was on the third floor, _'I'll never understand why she need's three floors!'_ She really didn't understand the reason for having three floors of beautiful rooms if they aren't even used in any way whatsoever.

"Hmmm…it's still not the same…" Ayaka muttered as she threw down her giant silk pillow along with the rest of the disheveled ones. The bothered blonde has been trying to figure out a dilemma for quite some time now.

Ever since she woke up from fainting, the class president felt this emptiness in her that was uncomfortable beyond compare. It didn't physically hurt at all, but more like her heart was craving this rare warm feeling that it once had while she was unconscious. She had no memory of the source of that wonderful feeling, but all she knew is that she wanted to feel that addictive and comforting sensation again.

It was a little embarrassing to admit; but Ayaka couldn't deny the theory that it was also soft, like a soft touch. _'So does that mean…someone was holding me while I was unconscious?'_ Ayaka's cheeks burned pink as a strand of saliva hung from her mouth after fantasizing over the possibility that it was Negi who held her. Although in a normal person's mind, a ten year old holding a middle school girl was a bit of a ridiculous scene rather than a romantic one.

Suddenly, Ayaka was awoken from her comical fantasies as a knock resounded from her door.

KNOCK! KNOCK!

"Eh, ah w-who is it?"

"It's Sebastian Ayaka-Sama. You have a visitor." Ayaka raised an eyebrow suspiciously.

"Who's visiting me?"

"…the royal pain in the bottom Ayaka-Sama-"

"HEY!" A second and familiar voice shouted angrily from behind the door. Ayaka groaned and rubbed her face tiredly; just when she thought today was going to be relaxing. The blonde momentarily pondered on whether or not to release the guard dogs on Asuna but eventually gave in with a tired sigh. Yes her and Asuna were rivals; but they weren't enemies so sending dogs on her was indeed a little harsh.

"Hai, let her in."

"…really?" Sebastian asked incredulously, _'maybe her brain hasn't gain back enough oxygen ye-'_

"You heard her Sebastian, let me in!" Asuna slapped Sebastian's shoulder again with a cheeky grin, _'score one for me ya cocky penguin!'_ The man in a penguin suit sneered at Asuna before straightening up his demeanor. He then politely opened the door for Asuna with his eyes closed and nose smugly raised once again.

"Now that's more like it! Iincho baby robber! How's it going?" The red head greeted after flashing the silent butler a triumphant grin and then waltzing into Ayaka's room. Both Sebastian and Ayaka's eyebrow twitched.

"Don't make me kick you out." Ayaka warned with a glare.

"Shall I get the dogs Ayaka-Sama?" Sebastian asked hopefully; which earned a growl from the red head.

"No Sebastian, that won't be necessary. That will be all." Sebastian bowed and then curtly left; gently closing the door behind him. The two girls were silent for a few moments; Asuna calmly swinging on her heels and Ayaka somewhat impatiently awaiting the reason for her rival's visit.

"So…" Asuna started as she casually looked over Ayaka's room and purposefully avoided looking into those emerald green orbs. _'I should have fully planned this out.'_ Asuna thought sheepishly.

"So?" Ayaka repeated skeptically. The wealthy blonde seriously wasn't in the mood for Asuna to dance around the topic at hand. She just woke up from fainting yesterday and still felt a little weak from it. Also, she was more eager to return to deciphering where or who, to be more specific, gave the blonde such a feeling that made everything seem right with the world. So in the class representative's eyes, Asuna was labeled currently as a hindrance rather than company.

"So…how's it going?" Asuna's lips twitched as she forced a cheesy smile to appear across her face. The red head was right; she really should have planned this out before coming.

"Oh, just perfect really. I was light headed for a few hours yesterday after fainting. Then today you show up to call me an Iincho baby robber and even made Sebastian want to release the dogs on you." Ayaka flashed a mockingly sweet smile at her visitor.

"And, you already asked me that when you walked in you incompetent gorilla." A vein pulsated on Asuna's forehead.

"What? I come to check up on you and this is the thanks I get?! Such poor manners from a Sh-"

"I dare you to finish that sentence…" The blonde challenged dangerously. Asuna flashed a toothy smile and proceeded to voice the last word slowly.

"Sho-"

"Asuna-San…"

"-ta-"

"I'm not joking with you!"

"-con-"

"That's it!" Perhaps Ayaka wasn't feeling as faint as she thought a few moments ago, because a physically weak person wouldn't be able to chase after a super athletic classmate so easily. The ever annoying girl continued to effortlessly run out of Ayaka's grasp; jumping over the occasional obstacle as she did so. Asuna wasn't running away because she was scared; far from it.

She actually just wanted to see Ayaka's frustrated expression from not being able to wring her hands around Asuna's neck. This is what Asuna missed, and the unnoticeable yet joyful shine in her bi-chromatic eyes proved it.

Unfortunately for Asuna, her fun had to come to an end as Ayaka halted and leaned forward to rest her hands on her knees; panting in exhaustion.

"How…can you…run so…much?!" The tired blonde gasped with a scowl. Asuna only stood proudly in response and basked in the victory. Although she outran Ayaka, it wasn't exactly a fair win since Ayaka was still drained; but this is Asuna and she'll take any victory she can get. Sebastian was definitely one of many who knew this hard headed feature about the expressive girl; especially from the 'games' that they would play from time to time.

"The real question is how can you run so little? Time to work off some of that chubbiness Iincho!" Ayaka's cheeks burned with fury.

"Who're you calling chub…ch-chub…" Her rants were caught short though as the room suddenly spun and the strength in her legs began to fade.

"Eh? Iincho?" Asuna's slightly worried face contorted into a whirlpool of colors; Ayaka had over worked herself.

"S-stupid…monkey…" Her vision began to obscure and the last thing Ayaka saw was a weirdly familiar sight; Asuna diving in to catch her, _'where have I…seen this before?'_ Finally, her mind blacked out completely.

"…ugh…what…what happened-"

"You're finally up."

"Eh?" Ayaka's eyes fully snapped open and darted frantically from side to side. She then flinched as a flick made contact with the back of her ear. Using a split second of logic, Ayaka was able to realize that the angle of that flick could only work if she was lying right under someone. The frazzled blond looked up and felt the tip of her nose graze against a burgundy strand of hair.

"Do you think you can sit up now? Your fatty weight is making my legs numb…" Ayaka's cheeks tinted pink in embarrassment as she felt a sturdy arm supporting her head and the other wrapped around her waist. Asuna was looking down at Ayaka with slightly cheeky yet, surprisingly enough, worried green and blue orbs. Then, as the final blow, Asuna's thighs that have been serving as a large pillow for Ayaka's body gently pressed into the blonde's back.

With a startled yelp, Ayaka abruptly sat up and in the process, her forehead collided with Asuna's.

"Ow! Jeez, what're you doing?" Asuna chided as she freed one of her arms to rub tenderly at her sore head. Ayaka did the same as she sat on the floor hunched over and rubbing her abused head.

"W-why were you holding me?!" Ayaka growled; her combined emotions of embarrassment and anger getting the better of her. Asuna blinked in surprise at Ayaka's reaction. The red head was hoping for more of an appreciative reaction. _'I mean, I looked after her when she was unconscious at the school and just now!'_ Asuna glared at the fuming fair-haired girl.

"I was just trying to help!"

"Well I don't need it!" Asuna guffawed in disbelief.

"Wha-Are you serious?! Ayaka, you just fainted! What did you expect me to do, leave you on the floor there?!"

"You could've just laid me in my bed and called Sebastian!" Ayaka snapped back irritably. Asuna's face flared up red with fury, _'this ungrateful little!'_

"Why did you come here anyways?! Everything was just fine until you arrived!" Ayaka continued chiding her rival; only intensifying Asuna's temper.

"You know what, I give up on you! You're impossible!" Asuna shot up from the floor and stormed towards the room door. Ayaka's mouth gaped in incredulity.

"I'm impossible?! Like you're one to talk! I can't even go a day without you giving me a migraine!" Unlike how Ayaka expected, Asuna only continued to stomp away and then, after swinging the door open, she halted and turned to Ayaka.

"…I can't believe I actually cared about you!"

"Wha-"

WHAM!

Asuna slammed the door closed; leaving Ayaka to silently stare at her door in shock. The atmosphere shattering slam left both the blonde's ear drums and heart quivering. But maybe that wasn't the only thing that rocked her to the core. Ayaka's green eyes narrowed in skepticism.

"…I felt that warmth again…when she held me?" There was no way she could believe that.

"Hmmm…they're shouting louder than usual. Maybe I should check up on Ayaka-Sama." Sebastian muttered to himself as he continued to shoot worried glances up the extensive flight of stairs. He heard some intense shouting bouncing around the atmosphere up above; and there was no mistake in assuming that the voices belonged to Ayaka and Asuna.

The butler's ears then were abruptly acquainted with a new sound; the repetitive tapping of running feet, and they were getting closer. In a flash of red, Asuna dashed by a startled Sebastian and hastily made her way for the door. Sebastian reached out a hand in the upset girl's direction and shouted out to her.

"A-Asuna-San? Where're you going?!" Without turning back, Asuna directed her bubbling anger in the form of a powerful yet pained yell at the baffled man in a penguin suit.

"Away from here!" A door within the Yukihiro mansion was slammed for the second time today.

Sebastian, frozen in place and his arm still outstretched to the door, was in deep confusion. He thought everything was going just fine since the girls were so quiet during most of the visit. But then there's shouting, angrier than usual shouting, Asuna storms out of the house, and stated that she wanted to be anywhere but here. _'What happened?'_

It was rare times like these when Sebastian desired he didn't work as a butler so that he wouldn't have to follow the common courtesy of one and walk into that room to figure out what's going on himself.

Perhaps any old butler would just assume that Asuna was in the wrong and always will be since she's just an underclass citizen. But this was Sebastian, the man who's been Ayaka's butler since she was a little girl and in the process, became fairly involved in both her and Asuna's lives. He wasn't sure when he started to see the girls as some of the most important people to him, but all he knew is that something was wrong and he truly wished to know how to fix it…

* * *

><p>"Here you go Rainyday-San. I believe this is all the work that we've done today." Mr. Sudoku said as he handed a small stack of paperwork over to Zazie's awaiting hands. The tan demon, after gingerly taking the worksheets, nodded once in thanks and proceeded to leave the math classroom.<p>

Obviously Mr. Sudoku was unaware of the fact that Zazie had a lot more than just skills in gymnastics, because she also had skillful ears. There was no doubt that she overheard the bald teacher grumble under his breath about a troublesome transfer student and being a miss know-it-all. Zazie connected the dots and couldn't help the small smirk that spread across lips as she slid the door closed behind her. _'Kendra likes to have fun during class it seems…'_

As Zazie paced leisurely down the halls with her destination in mind being Kendra's dorm room, her thoughts wondered off to how Kendra's school life was back then. It still made the half demon sick to her stomach remembering what the transfer student told her. _'She went through all of that and still managed to look so content…'_ If Zazie's views on Kendra's strong resolve were ever doubted before, then it was definitely solidified into stone after learning that tragic story.

The tattooed girl had to inhale deeply to keep the sudden and powerful feelings of regret from showing out on her face. Her Hanyou heart felt like it was being compressed further and further into itself every time she thought about this. _'I wonder if this is how Kendra's sensing abilities feel.'_ She wondered…

* * *

><p>"I'm…bored…" Kendra muttered dully as her legs unconsciously swung back and forth at a leisure pace while sitting on her kitchen counter. Yes, the magic sensor was seated on the kitchen counter. The reason why is because for the past few hours after her argument with Anima, her attention was stuck at a borderline between busy bodied and sluggish.<p>

The level in between these two varied emotions was flummoxed. She had no idea what to do; whether to do everything and anything, or to do absolutely nothing at all. Either decision would ultimately lead her to the same results anyways; that would be sitting in some misplaced area and staring into nothingness while wondering what to do next. The magic sensor sighed irritably while once again holding up her hand and flexing it open and closed.

"Just ya wait bite-size…I've got some interestin' news for ya." She claims that Evangeline should wait, when ironically; it seemed that Kendra was doing all the painstakingly endless waiting. _'Was I a'ways dis impatient?'_ The dark skin girl pondered inwardly; which was most likely true.

Kendra knew that she was growing desperate for something intriguing in the slightest to happen since she believed that the next sound she heard was an amazing gift sent down from the Holy Father himself.

KNOCK! KNOCK!

"Comin' " Kendra hopped down off the counter and practically ran to the door. But before opening it, she forced her bubbly emotions to be brought down to a minimum and tried to appear as calm as possible.

"Yo" She greeted blandly once opening the door. It seems that straightening her demeanor was a waste of time though since Kendra's liveliness returned with pleasant delight upon realizing that her visitor was Zazie. Kendra smiled.

"Hey babe, ya finally back." Showcasing a smile of her own; Zazie held up the small stack of papers and waved them casually for the magic sensor to see. Kendra, who regrettably knew what those papers were, sighed dejectedly.

"Is dat da work I missed today?" Zazie nodded and had to hold back a giggle as Kendra over dramatically hung her head in grief before allowing the tan demon into her dorm.

"And let me take anotha' guess…it's all from Windex shine." Kendra hypothesized as she searched through her school bag for a pencil and scratch paper. Unlike the other girls of 3-A, Zazie didn't abruptly halt where she stood and stared in deep confusion at the transfer student. Instead she just strolled over to the couch and made herself comfortable.

"Do you mean Mr. Sudoku?" Her assumption was right on mark and Kendra couldn't help but laugh in pride at her girlfriend's quick wits.

"Haha! Yeah, how'd ya know?" The dark skin girl asked as she sat next to Zazie while also receiving her day's work from her. The tan girl placed a finger on her chin and looked to the ceiling in fake contemplation. Kendra immediately remembered this game and smirked cheekily.

"Hmmm, well, I had to visit each of your teachers and pick up any work you missed. Every one of them made a comment about you, but only Mr. Sudoku's was different from the rest."

"Oh? And uh…what exactly did Windex shine say?" Kendra asked as she shifted closer towards her lover; compelling Zazie to giggle again at the magic sensor's coy yet curious expression.

"Mr. Su-no…Windex shine, whispered under his breath about a troublesome transfer student being a little miss know-it-all." Kendra raised an eyebrow while wrapping an arm around the Hanyou's waist.

"So how did dat help ya figure out dat he was Windex shine?"

"This of course." Zazie could just barely withstand not cracking up as she patted the top of her head, but then broke out into giggles upon seeing Kendra lose her composure all together.

"Oh my god! I know! His head is too shiny! Ya would think he uses Windex to clean it!" Kendra gasped between her laughter; and instead of calming down as time passed, her laughing was prolonged even longer as she listened to Zazie's melodic and contagious giggling. The same thing was happening for Zazie; and as a result, both girls were in slight hysterics and not even sure if they were laughing about Mr. Sudoku's significantly hair free scalp anymore.

"Okay, okay, let me get dis work here done so we can' go ova to half pint's place." Kendra said after finally regaining some of her senses and getting back to the matter at hand. Zazie nodded and rose up from the couch to head into Kendra's kitchen; all that laughing made her thirsty.

Now even though this was indeed Kendra's dorm room, the magic sensor had established a long time ago that whenever Zazie came over to her home, it was practically her home too. It took a lot of patience and persistence, but Kendra was eventually able to convince Zazie to just literally make herself at home. So this would explain why Zazie held no guilt whatsoever as she poured herself something to drink without asking Kendra permission; there was no need to ask for it in the first place.

As the half demon walked back to the small table that Kendra was now working at; she couldn't help but blink a little in surprise as she watched the magic sensor's writing hand practically turn into a blur and finish the math work in less than twenty minutes.

Her surprise then altered to deep bewilderment as Kendra sighed in relief after conclusively throwing down her pencil next to her finished work.

"Thank god, dat took foreva."

"…eh?" Zazie muttered in disbelief.

"Forever? Kendra, you did that work in about twenty minutes tops." Kendra's eyebrows furrowed.

"Twenty minutes? Are ya sure it wasn' like forty? 'Cause it kinda felt like…" The dark skin trailed off as her eyes widen in sudden realization, _'my speed increased again...Damn!'_ Zazie, who was having thoughts similar to Kendra's, placed her full glass on the table and then stated sternly.

"We're seeing Evangeline-San…now." Kendra held no arguments as she placed her complete work in her school bag, grabbed a jacket, and opened the door with her features just as stern as Zazie's.

"Beautiful ladies first."…

* * *

><p>Yue sighed as she closed the ancient book and then passed it over to Kazumi. Without waiting another second, the news report reopened the document and began to vehemently scan over the text.<p>

This wasn't the first time she's done this though. For the last near hour now, Yue, Nodoka, Sayo, and Kazumi have been searching for any clue they could find in the green manuscript. So far, they've found nothing and patience was wearing thin within three of the four girls.

Kazumi was the only one who still had some fight left in her. This was just like the challenging sensation that would burn passionately in her heart whenever the red head would collect stories for her articles. Not too many of her classmates knew, but the journalists was like a completely different person once she got in the groove and felt her reporter senses tingling into over-drive.

Yue, Nodoka, and Sayo obviously noticed this and the short blue haired girl just couldn't help but to finally let her curiosity about this unusual sight momentarily steer her away from Anima. She leaned over to Sayo slowly.

"Sayo-San, have you been noticing that Kazumi-San has been acting kind of odd?" Once again, Sayo gave a prideful smile.

"Kazumi's always like this actually…" The ghost girl could feel her translucent cheeks convert into a soft pink as she spoke her friend's name without the honorifics. This change in addressing the journalist was going to take some serious getting used to. Yue's bland eyes suddenly gleamed with curiosity.

"Kazumi-San's always like this?" Sayo nodded.

"Mhm. Whenever she gains enough info for her articles, she would work on putting them in the newspapers for hours without rest. Kazumi would look so determined during those nights that it amazes how she still has so much energy left over." Those were one of things that Sayo truly admired about Kazumi. In her opinion, if someone could bounce back from a night long job so easily with practically twice as much exuberance as the day before, then that person deserved some kind of medal for determination and endurance.

"I see…" Yue trailed off indifferently as the girls continued to stare curiously at Kazumi's staid features.

"What's going on here Ane-Sans?" All four girls felt their hearts leapt into their throats from Chamo's surprise arrival. The little white rodent had appeared out of nowhere and stood casually in an empty spot of a book shelf.

"O-Oh, it's just you Chamo…" Kazumi muttered while held her hand over her rapidly pounding heart. Her moments of unbreakable concentration were also one of her most vulnerable; so Chamo's sudden arrival made Kazumi jump out of her skin. The same could be said the other girls as they also clenched their chest and stared wide eyed at the albino ermine.

Chamo whipped out yet another over-sized cigar and was about to take puff until Yue yanked it away from his furry lips.

"Hey! That's mine Ane-San!" With a definite snap, Yue broke the cigar in two and threw it into a nearby trashcan. After returning, she narrowed her eyes slightly at the gaping magical animal.

"There's no smoking in the library." Chamo puckered out his lips in a half pout-half scowl.

"Boo Ane-San, boo!"

"Don't 'boo' me. Why are you here Chamo?" Before said rodent could answer, Kazumi regained her usual energetic personality and grabbed Chamo by the neck; bringing him to face her fully.

"I was just about to ask that! So, what do you need you little perv?" A vein pulsated on Chamo's head.

"Hey! I prefer to be called a worshipper of the female sex!"

"Eh, but that's a mouthful! I'll just call you a perv instead. But seriously, why're you here Chamo?"

"I saw you Ane-Sans in here working pretty hard on something. And hey, don't you know the saying, don't judge a book by its cover?" All of the girls blinked once in confusion but nodded slowly nevertheless.

"So at first, I thought, 'oh it's just Yue-Ane-San and Nodoka-Ane-San. They're probably doing something boring.' But then I realized, maybe you guys actually could entertain me a lit-" Kazumi chucked the rodent behind her carelessly.

"ACK!" Kazumi's broad smile didn't even falter as Chamo's shout of terror followed by the faint thump of his ermine body colliding with the hard wooden surface of a book shelf rung in her ears.

"Okay then! So far we've haven't gotten very much from this book-"

"It's not that easy to kill me Ane-San! I come from a long line of cats and still got five more lives to lose!" Yue, Nodoka, Sayo, and Kazumi sweat dropped; the little animal was just spouting nonsense now. He probably hit his head just a tad too hard on that landing. Nodoka finally spoke up to the limping ermine.

"Ch-Chamo…perhaps we could t-talk another t-time. We're b-busy at the moment…" Ignoring the stuttering girl's words; Chamo hopped on top of Kazumi's head and then stated clearly.

"Then I'll help you Ane-San's out!" Kazumi, her orbs raised up at the small rodent, raised her eyebrows skeptically.

"And how can you help us? You don't even know what we're doing here Cham-"

"So what're you Ane-San's doing here?" Chamo interrupted with an innocent ermine smile; pretending that he didn't hear the journalist ridicule his habit of never thinking before speaking.

"Well…" Sayo started reluctantly as she glanced at her classmates; silently asking for whether or not to clue Chamo in on their investigation. Finally, Yue sighed in defeat.

"We're trying to figure out the secrets behind Kendra-San's powers. So far, all we've got is that this person named Anima has something to do with it."

"Oh, that's it?" Chamo asked; almost as if sounding like the girls were having difficulty solving a kiddy puzzle.

"Not, 'that's it', this is turning out pretty impossible." Sayo interjected with a pout. A long silence fell upon the girls and ermine as Chamo shifted his glance between them.

"You Ane-Sans should probably know this…"

"Eh? Know what?" Kazumi asked curiously.

"That I know who you're talking about and Kendra-Ane-San's pow-ACK!" Chamo once again screamed in fear as he was abruptly removed from Kazumi's head and practically pinned to the floor under the journalist's heavy hand.

"Hey! What's your problem Ane-San?! Ya bipolar or something?!" There were some nights when the small albino mammal had disturbing nightmares that involved violent middle school girls hell bent on murdering him somehow. Asuna was definitely included in most of them. But right now, he could've sworn his nightmares were becoming reality as the four girls loomed over him.

"Tell us…what you know." Kazumi demanded firmly. Chamo gulped, _'Kami save me!'_…

* * *

><p>A puff of intense heat rushed out of slightly parted lips and then contorted and mutated its shape in mid-air. Moving as if the burning blaze had a life of its own; it slowly resembled the form of dragon. The artistic fire creation would linger in the darkened atmosphere for a few moments before dissipating completely.<p>

Then, another breath of fire was blown but this time twisting upward in a double-helix. Both endings; top and bottom, came to a connection and resulted in the profile of a massive coil. The top end then flattened to give it a smooth arc; now the inferno resembled an enormous nail.

"Heh…I a'ways was artistic." Deveron chuckled as the combusted element obscured from view once again. He rose from his bed mattress covered in disheveled sheets and stared out the gaping hole within the wall again. Just like always, the lights of Columbia were still as bright and undying as ever.

Deveron's red pupils flicked to the side as the sound of desperate yells reached his ears. _'They're still awake huh…'_ By they; he meant Sam and Shon. It seems that the parents were still feeling a droplet of rebellion in them and were yelling at the top of their lungs for help. Today would be the third day of the two adult's imprisonment and also the third without food and water.

The dark skin boy searched his mind for some common knowledge; trying to remember whether or not a person could live going three days without food and water. Not being able to come up with a solid answer, he shrugged his shoulders and decided to check on Sam and Shon's conditions.

With a swift turn on his heels, Deveron headed to the door but then halted as he felt a small force of resistance on his sleeve. He didn't have to look down to know what was hindering his advances.

"I'll be back, love…Just goin' to check on our prisoners." Poyo, lying on her side in the ruffled mess of blankets that was called a bed nodded once drowsily before releasing her lover. Before her tan hand fully slid off Deveron's sleeve, he caught it with one hand and kissed it tenderly. Just the faintest trace of a smirk appeared across Poyo's face before being replaced with a mouth slightly gaped from her calm breathing. The demon girl fell asleep.

Deveron chuckled at his lover's seemingly innocent ways before leaving the room and closing the door behind. He paced slowly down the deserted and crumbling hallway; the echoing of his footsteps and his prisoners' shrieks combining into an almost sinister symphony. The ruby eyed boy smirked as he basked in the blissful music of dread; it gave him this strong sensation of power. He treasured this sensation greatly.

Once reaching the end of the hall, he stood next to the splinter door for a few moments to clearly listen to Sam and Shon's desperate shouts for freedom. He cackled in amusement at the large amounts of despair hidden between their words and finally decided to open the door with a twist of his key.

"Knock, knock…" He announced playfully while tapping lightly on the door as he swung it open. Deveron only received a splint second change in demeanor from the parents; their attitudes converting from desperate, tired, and afraid to stern, angry, and silent. He then looked in front of his feet to realize that the Twinkie hasn't been unwrapped.

"Ah, y'all still haven' eaten? Now dat's not good. Y'all should eat or else you'll get sick." He chided sarcastically while picking up the plastic wrapped treat.

"And who's fuckin' fault do ya think dat is…" Sam grumbled bitterly; his voice even hoarser than before. Shon's voice didn't sound any better. Her vocals were so strained from the yelling and lack of water that she couldn't reach a volume any higher than a whisper now.

"P-please…we need food a-and w-water…" She pleaded quietly. Sam, sensing his wife's resolve drop more and more rapidly by the second, leaned his head against hers in the most comforting way possible.

"Awwww, old couples are so cute!" Deveron commented with a large hint of sarcasm. Sam scowled bitterly at the boy as he unwrapped the Twinkie, broke it in half, and approached Kendra's parents. He held out the individual halves; one hovering over Shon's mouth and the other over Sam's.

"What kinda sick, twisted game are ya goin' at now?!" Sam growled as he leaned away from the sugar induced snack.

"No game. Y'all need food. Eat it." Deveron stated simply. The two parents' shoulders tensed for a few moments as their minds plunged into inner turmoil. There was always the possibility that Deveron planned this ahead and actually poisoned the food. Or maybe he would try to catch them when their mouths are open to burn their tongues to a crisp. Multiple cruel and unusual scenarios ran through their heads until finally, Shon slowly began to lean forward.

Sam harshly nudged his wife.

"Shon, no! Don' eat dat!"

"B-but-"

"No! Don' trust dis mutha fucka!" Deveron hissed in fake hurt as he turned his back to the bickering prisoners.

"Ouch. Dat really…burns Mr. Johnson…" Deveron chuckled under his breath; finding his little pun quite amusing. His silent cackling then grew into creepily hysterical laughter; hunching over as he worked his lungs vigorously.

"Dis fucka is crazy…" Sam muttered in horror. He just couldn't believe that this was the same boy who befriended Kendra years ago and nearly saved her from spending the rest of her life hopeless and alone.

With Sam and Shon's mouths now gaping open in terror, Deveron took this chance to abruptly turn around and then shove the Twinkie halves into their mouths. He'll just have to force them to eat.

Sam tried to gag the food back up his trachea but found that it was only suffocating him. Also, with his hands still tied behind his back, there was nothing for him to do but swallow if regretfully. Shon, who showed no resistance whatsoever, slowly chewed and swallowed her portion as well. Deveron smiled broadly.

"See? Now was dat so bad? Remember what I said, I can' have y'all dead yet. So just eat 'n stuff when I tell ya." Deveron began to exit the room; not even budging under the holes being burned through him from Sam's viscous glaring. The fire manipulator's red ringed pupils then lighted up with sudden recognition as he opened the door.

"Oh, 'n if y'all behave tomorrow, I'll get ya some water too…well, if I remember anyways."

"Fuck you" Sam responded furiously as Shon just hung her head silently. Deveron once again laughed at the father's ability to ignore his words and to only hear what he wanted.

"Again…ouch Mr. Johnson. Ouch…" Deveron closed the door behind him and locked it. He just stood there for a few moments with his hand gripping the knob.

"Hmmm…didn' Poyo say her father lead a pretty big demon tribe? I gotta ask her 'bout dat." The dark skin boy mused to himself before shrugging once again. He then folded his arms behind his head and headed back to Poyo's side in the bed; he'll just ask her about the whole demon tribe business tomorrow…

* * *

><p>Yep! That's all for now! I'm pretty sure things will pick up by next chapter. So please, I ask of you again, be patient and wait for my next update. X)<p>

So until then, please...

CLICK THE BLUE BUTTON. -.-


	24. Chapter 24

Yo! XD You know, I think this whole taking a long time to update thing is gonna keep happening for a while so...yeah. ^_^' What can I say, school is a pain and can eat up your time like a freakin' parasite. :p

**_'(thoughts in flashback)'_**

_'(normal present time thoughts)'_

Anyways, a good bit I guess you can say goes on here, so I hope you enjoy! XD

Disclaimer: I do not own Negima or any of its characters. Also, I do not own 'The A Team' all rights of ownership belong to the rightful artist, Ed Sheeran.

Now please, enjoy the chapter! XD

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 24<strong>

'_White lips, pale face. _

_Breathing in the snow flakes._

_Burnt lungs, sour taste.'_

'_Light's gone, day's end._

_Struggling to pay rent._

_Long nights, strange men.'_

'_And they say she's in the class A team._

_Stuck in her day dream._

_Been this way since eighteen but lately,_

_Her face seems slowly sinking, wasting._

_Crumbling like pastries and they scream,_

_The worst things in life come free to us.'_

'_Cause we're just under the upper hand,_

_And go mad for a couple grams._

_And she don't wanna go outside tonight._

_And in a pipe she flies to the Mother Land._

_Or sells love to another man._

_It's too cold outside for angels to fly.'_

'_Angels to fly'_

"It sounds so sad…" Zazie commented as she listened to Kendra sing the entrancing song. The magic sensor nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, it is…but I think da lyrics are very meanin'ful. Dat's why it's one of my favorites." The two lovers were walking side-by-side down a seemingly random direction within the forest just outside of Mahora's campus grounds. But Zazie wasn't lost at all; she knew where she was going. She and Kendra wanted to a solution to this new problem at hand right now. So far, waiting and hiding did nothing but advance the transfer student's abilities even faster.

"…you know…it's been a long time since you've-"

"Held ya close and sung softly in ya ear." Kendra finished as a knowing smirk graced her features. Zazie nodded silently; recognizing the all too familiar feeling of blood rushing to her cheeks. The magic sensor chuckled as she swung an arm around the flustered Hanyou's shoulders and brought her into a comforting half hug.

"Hey, hey, no need to get embarrassed. I know, it has been a long time since we've done dat…But how 'bout dis; I'll do it for ya later on today…a'ight?" Kendra offered and despite the embarrassment welling up in the half demon, Zazie once again nodded in agreement. The tan half demon really did miss that; those heavenly times when her girlfriend would embrace her protectively and sing the most soothing melodies in the world for her. She never knew such a simple yet amazingly comforting action could be so effective on a person's emotions, but Kendra seemed to prove that it was indeed possible.

"Um…d-do you mind singing a bit more? I really enjoy your singing so…" Zazie trailed off while unconsciously rubbing the padding of her fingers along her skirt again.

"Yeah, of course, but um…there's somethin' dat's been on my mind lately." Kendra admitted as her eyebrows furrowed together. Zazie's eyebrows mimicked Kendra's.

"About what Kendra?" Kendra sighed to herself while running a hand through her black locks. She also felt her heart compress into itself a little like her sensing abilities usually would but ignored it either way.

"Well…it's 'bout what happened lately…"

"What happened lately?"

"…bout da whole pactio 'n my past thing; I just wanna make sure dat you're really okay…and don' lie to me Zazie." Kendra commanded sternly as she witnessed Zazie's shoulders tense up. It was just as Kendra guessed yet hoped against; Zazie still felt guilty for her brash actions and causing so much trouble many years ago for the transfer student.

"…I-I'm not-"

"You're hesitatin'; you and Anima both hesitate when ya lie." Kendra suddenly stood in front of Zazie; not allowing her to take another step and stared intensely into her lover's eyes.

"Zazie…please…I really can' stand to see ya like dis. Please, please, please…don' blame ya'self anymore; none of those things were ya fault. So just…let it go okay?" She muttered her last few words weakly as she brushed the back of hand gently across the Hanyou's forehead; weaving her fingers through those porcelain white bangs. Kendra's fingers twitched ever so slightly as her heart ached again, _'…must be bite-size's presence or somethin'…'_

Zazie nuzzled into the touch before sighing silently; her ashamed dark brown orbs staring into Kendra's hypnotizing hazel ones.

"I-I know…and I'm trying Kendra, I really am. But it's hard to let go you know? I just can't stand the idea of you possibly being upset with me because of my jealousy. Then, when you told me about your past…I nearly died inside when I imagined you as this scared and lonely little girl…so I just-"

Kendra interrupted Zazie with a kiss; Zazie prolonging it for a few seconds by moving her lips along with the magic sensor's own. As they parted, the dark skin girl smiled warmly at Zazie.

"Okay, fine. So my past was terrible ever since ya moved; big deal. Look at da present Zazie. We're happily together 'n in love. Ya may think dat movin' away was a bad thing…but think 'bout it dis way. If ya didn' move, den I wouldn' have realized I loved ya so quickly. Also, da distance between us only strengthened my love for you; wantin' so desperately to meet ya again." Kendra wrapped her arms around Zazie's waist; the Hanyou automatically snaking her own arms around her girlfriend's neck.

"…'n I ain't da most religious person…but I truly believe dat both Kami 'n God had dis plan for us from da very beginnin'. Yeah, they made da road pretty rough for us at first…but now look; we're together again 'n I've never felt so committed to someone in my entire life 'til now. So instead of blamin' ya'self…how 'bout just thankin' fate for guidin' our hearts to each otha?" The magic sensor asked as she gently removed one arm and placed her hand over her heart; as much as Kendra distasted being corny, she was willing to make an exception at the moment.

It seemed that the risk was worth taking as Kendra witnessed Zazie grin widely before leaning in to kiss her briefly once again. The tan demon then sighed contently against those addicting lips.

"You can really be a romantic…you know that?" As rare as it was, a light blush flared across the southern girl's cheeks as her hazel orbs glanced to the side.

"Well I wouldn' say romantic…" Kendra mumbled and felt her blush grow darker as Zazie laughed at her girlfriend's expression of embarrassment.

"But…you're right. I should be looking at the bright side of all of this." The magic sensor looked back at Zazie with expectant eyes.

"So…ya finally feelin' a'ight wit dis? Cause I really was worryin' 'bout-"

"I'm fine, really."

"Okay…just talk to me if ya still havin' doubts 'bout all of dis…promise me dat a'ight?" Kendra pleaded softly; her chest tightening considerably in what she assumed to be lingering worry. She really hoped that Zazie was telling her the truth; not that she didn't trust the Hanyou. It's just that the tattooed girl had the tendency to even lie to herself sometimes and in the process unknowingly lie to the magic sensor as well. The said tan demon rested her forehead against Kendra's.

"I promise Kendra. Now…how about we keep going?" Kendra nodded slowly and separated before gripping her girlfriends hand firmly; intertwining their fingers all the while. Once again, the magic sensor's heart throbbed but this time left a painful sensation to tremor through her. Like the habit that she's picked up over the years; Kendra's eyes narrowed into a glare to deal with the pain and looked around the tall deciduous trees suspiciously. Zazie undoubtedly noticed her lover's sudden alertness and asked worriedly.

"Kendra, what's wrong? Do you hear something?" The tan demon began to take anxious glances of her surroundings as well.

"Not hear…I felt it. My chest is growin' tighter 'n tighter by da secon'…Zazie…keep watch a'ight?" Kendra ordered as she began to take cautious steps forward. As they continued down the path for the vampire's cabin, Kendra began to feel her nervousness fade gradually. That anonymous feeling in her heart wasn't pounding as frequently as it was a few moments ago; allowing Kendra to loosen the tension in her shoulders with a silent sigh.

"You felt its presence disappear too right?" Zazie guessed when she noticed Kendra's caution become less intense. The magic sensor's eyes made a quick sweep over her surroundings before turning to the tan demon and nodding.

"Yeah…dat was weird. What could it have been though?" Zazie's eyes widened slightly as a major thought dawned on her; she just remembered that Evangeline's cabin was indeed located very close to the border of the school's demon barrier. _'Oh Kami how could I forget?!'_ She chided herself in slight panic; praying that her suspicions weren't true. But if it was true, then Zazie knew there was one thing that she and Kendra had to do right that moment; get to Evangeline's cabin and fast.

"C-come on Kendra, let's hurry." Zazie urged while tugging Kendra by the wrist. Kendra eyed Zazie questioningly while allowing the anxious Hanyou to pull her along.

"What's wrong babe?" Without tearing her eyes away from the path she was quickly following, Zazie replied hurriedly.

"Kendra, don't panic when I tell you this okay?"

"…huh?" The magic sensor replied dumbly; blinking in confusion all the while.

"There's a barrier surrounding the Mahora campus and it's used as a shield from foreign magical beings or demons."

"Eh?"

"But sometimes a few of them can slip past the barrier."

"What?"

"And Evangeline's cabin is located right on the edge of the barrier…So there could be a demon around her somewhere-" Zazie felt her advancements become hindered as the magic sensor stopped in her tracks.

"Kendra?" Zazie glanced back at Kendra to see that the magic sensor was looking behind her. With her heart once again throbbing from a nearby magical pressure; the transfer student muttered gravely.

"Oh shit"…

* * *

><p>"Hm?" Something in Setsuna's mind twitched anonymously; a sensation easily recognized by the swordswoman. Setsuna held her Yuunagi tightly while shifting her glance outside the window of Konoka, Asuna, and Negi's dorm room. <em>'That presence…another demon leaked through?'<em>

"Secchan? What's wrong? You're just staring out the window." Konoka called out to her girlfriend curiously; snapping the Hanyou out of her wonderings and smiling reassuringly at the mage princess.

"It's nothing Konochan. But I have to go. I'll be back when I can-"

"Eh? Why're you leaving Secchan?" Konoka whined before clutching onto the Hanyou's arm tightly; causing Setsuna to blush lightly.

Asuna plopped down on the couch with a bland expression plastered across her face; although it couldn't quite be deciphered due to the immense wave of Udon noodles she was slurping down greedily. After munching and swallowing her mouthful of food, the red head asked plainly.

"Yeah, where are you going Setsuna-San?" Asuna's roommates including Negi, who was working on his daily grading on his laptop, blinked once in surprise at the huge lack of emotion in the red head's voice.

"U-um…Asuna-San, are you feeling well?" Negi stuttered uncomfortably; that feeling intensified when Asuna shifted her lifeless heterochromatic eyes in the child teacher's direction.

"I'm fine…" The young wizard attempted to speak again but couldn't as he felt his heart practically leap into his throat; it was heart wrenching to witness his important hyperactive friend's personality take such a sudden and depressive turn. _'What happened to her?'_ He wondered as Asuna once again returned her attention to the now worried couple.

"So? Where're you trying to run off to bird brain?"

"J-just to check the school's barriers." Setsuna answered cautiously as she attempted to get up once again; the clingy princess childishly tugged back however.

"Mou Secchan! You can check the barriers later."

"K-Konochan! Please, th-this is important-" Setsuna choked on her words when Konoka decided to mercilessly use her secret weapon; she looked upon the swordswoman with her signature innocent puppy dog eyes. _'Unfair!'_ Setsuna's mind screamed, which was surely melting under the gaze.

"Pwease Secchan~?" _'…yep, she's done.'_ Negi and Asuna thought simultaneously as they practically witnessed their Hanyou friend get stabbed through the heart with a giant arrow of adorable defeat. As the unusually emotionless red head continued watching the couple's little fiasco, her thoughts began to sway over to a different topic.

_'…I swear her head's going to pop with all that blushing one day. Hell, Konoka-San can cling to her, even smile, and Setsuna-San lights up like a lamp.'_ The red head smiled inwardly at the thought of the swordswoman with an actual light bulb for a head; the florescent little globe shining brightly every time the Konoe heiress even touched her.

For the first time that day a small grin graced the expressive girl's features. _'But for some crazy reason…they're perfectly happy like that…happily together…'_ Asuna's smile disappeared; replaced with that ever persistent placid expression. _'Happily together huh…'_

As much as she loathed her brain for doing this; she couldn't help but make a painful connection with her current problem and the bitter feeling lingering in her chest from that thought. _'…I…I want that too?'_ She questioned rather than stated. Is that what she wanted, what she desired, what she longed for?

Despite all the times that she denied this theory from her friends so passionately; maybe she was wrong all along. What other feeling besides jealousy could possibly describe the caustic sensation she received when viewing a couples' happy faces? _'…I'm jealous of them. Oh Kami I'm jealous of them…'_ The red head mentally did a harsh face palm.

Asuna would have never in her entire life thought that she'd ever have to deal with such a cliché and, in her own words, stupid dilemma. _'No, no, no! I don't need to be in a relationship! Don't need it! I mean, it's not like there's anyone who I want to…I want to…'_ Her mind trailed off as the image of a peculiar angry blonde flashed through her subconscious. She scowled at those smug glaring emerald eyes; the annoyed look Ayaka would always direct to Asuna. _'Especially not her! She's an ungrateful spoiled brat! Who would want her? Not me!'_

Asuna continued to heatedly barrage the class representative with her frustrated thoughts; recollecting all the times that they've argued and butted heads. _'She's snobby…'_ The recent memory of Ayaka yelling loudly at the red head ran through her mind.

'**W-why were you holding me?!'** Asuna's gaze shifted lower; staring lifelessly into the carpet floor.

_'…she's ungrateful…'_

'**I'd watch the next thing you say gorilla, or else you'll be eating desk wood pretty soon!'**

_'She's spoiled…'_

'**You incompetent gorilla!'** Then a slightly irrelevant memory flashed through Asuna's mind; the day Ayaka fainted and had to hold the blonde girl in her arms.

'**Monkey…so dead…'**

_'…she mutters in her sleep…'_

'…**Loud mouth…gorilla…'**

_'…she snuggles in her sleep too…'_ Finally, Asuna remembered the time she watched over Ayaka's sleeping face as she rested in a bed within the nurse's office.

_'…she has long eyelashes…pale skin…she…she's…'_ Asuna's shoulders slumped in defeat.

'**I can't even go a day without you giving me a migraine!'**

_'…she's the one…th-that I…'_

'**I can't believe I actually cared about you!' **Asuna winced inwardly at her recalled outburst; just now fully taking into consideration that perhaps her reaction was a bit over the top.

_'She's the one…that I care abou-'_

"Asuna-San?" Asuna snapped her head up to see her friends staring worriedly at the thoughtful girl.

"…Eh?" Asuna muttered after blinking once in bewilderment, _'…did I space out?'_

"You looked really deep in thought just now Asuna-San." Negi said worriedly while showering her trouble student with his anxious stare; Konoka and Setsuna doing the same after diverting their attention away from their previous little disagreement.

"I-I wasn't! Don't be a baka! A-and stop looking at me like that!" Asuna attempted to respond with her signature fiery personality but failed half way through her statement; the last few words flowing from her lips awkwardly. Her friends and teacher obviously noticed this and didn't believe the troubled red head at all. Asuna's teeth grinded in frustration from not being able to have proper control over her thoughts and emotions; she never had to deal with this before and it was all that class president's fault.

Setsuna, gently slipping from Konoka's grasp, slowly reached a hand out to Asuna and attempted to place it on the red head's shoulder.

"Asun-" Before Setsuna could finish, Asuna abruptly stood up from the couch and slowly began to walk away and towards the bathroom.

"I'm gonna wash up and take a nap…" With her head slightly downcast and her clenched fists trembling; the emotional wreck of a girl swung open the bathroom door. Negi swallowed the lump in his throat before muttering.

"B-but-" Asuna slammed the door closed with a small huff.

"W-what's wrong with Asuna-San?" Konoka asked while shifting her hurt and worried gaze over to a silent Setsuna. The Hanyou sent an apologetic gaze to the Konoe heiress before reluctantly heading for the door.

"Secchan?" Konoka called out confusingly as she watched her girlfriend halt in her advancements with her hand gripping the door knob.

"…I-I'm sorry Konochan but there is something that I must do-"

"Then I'll go with you!" Konoka declared as she abruptly stood up with a look of determination in her eyes. Setsuna turned to face Konoka again with a repentant expression. The half demon did indeed feel guilty for leaving her girlfriend and troubled friend so suddenly; but Setsuna knew all too well what that feeling she had earlier meant. There was a demon nearby and she had to take care of it; also, there was no way that Setsuna was going to allow the Konoe princess to get involved in it if there was a possibility of her getting hurt.

"No…you can't come with me. It's too dangerous."

"Then allow me to assist you!" Negi stated as he stood up as well while grabbing hold of his precious staff. Setsuna sighed as she witnessed the child wizard's and Konoe princess' indomitable look. Before giving in completely, the Konoe bodyguard attempted to play one last card to keep them out of the demon situation.

"But what about Asuna-San? It really looks like she has something serious going on with her…you two should stay here and try to comfort her." This seemed to succeed in wavering the two roommate's stubbornness as their once again worried eyes glanced over at the shut bathroom door. Setsuna expectedly watched Konoka and Negi's contemplating features. In the end and after a few moments of extensive thinking; one stayed and one followed along anyways…

* * *

><p>"Seems that there's another one…and it feels pretty strong." Mana muttered as she casually twirled a hand gun around her right index finger before shoving it into one of her holsters. The tall and tan gunslinger casually rose up from her bed and sighed while staring out of her window; receiving a sizeable view of the forest that extended beyond the Mahora campus.<p>

"…Wonder if Setsuna-San has gotten on it yet." Mana wondered out loud as she began to leave her dorm; the sniper's destination in mind being the same as the Hanyou swordswoman's own…

* * *

><p>"Zazie…" Kendra whispered without tearing her glaring orbs away from a collection of bushes and trees a few meters in front of them. Something was close and the magic sensor could tell from her pounding heart. She squeezed the tan demon's hand tightly as a ruffling noise began to emit from it; the sound gradually growing louder as each second passed. Kendra, who appeared to be calm when her stomach was actually doing somersaults, hastily turned to Zazie.<p>

"Stay behind me; and when you have the chance, run and get help." Zazie's eyes widened in shock and then shook her head in defiance.

"N-no! I can't just leave you!" Kendra was about to respond but then snapped her head back around as a furry figure began to protrude from the bush. The magic sensor threw a protective arm in front of Zazie and watched closely as the creature began to further reveal itself.

"…wait…it's just a dog…" Kendra muttered as the head and upper body of a small stray dog somewhat limply poked through the bush. Both girls' shoulders relaxed a little. Kendra wasn't sitting easy with the dog's lethargic and unnatural movements though. The small canine seemed to sway from side to side with its head hanging low. Also, the dog didn't move any farther out into the open; only half of its body remained visible. _'Somethin' ain't right here…'_ Zazie felt the same suspicions as she continued to hold fearfully onto the magic sensor.

The next thing Kendra saw made her blood run cold.

The dog finally began to advance farther out of the bush, but the other half of its body was not present.

In its place was a giant row of sharp teeth tainted with blotches of dripping blood and ripped body tissue. A deep and demonic snarl which revealed even more of the carcass layered fangs emitted loudly from behind those bushes. The dog corpse hung limply in the air as a green and pasty skinned creature took slow yet commanding steps out into the open; hunched over wildly on all fours and growling viscously at Kendra and Zazie. The beast's back, which had a bony vertebrate running down the center of it and protruding out of the skin, had light green sacks covered in veins that inflated with every labored breath that the demon took in.

"Holy…" Kendra muttered quietly as her shaky hazel orbs stared in astonished fear. The sheer size and animalistic crazed look of it made the magic sensor's insides quake painfully; never in the dark skin girl's life had she seen such a monstrosity. Zazie tried to desperately tug the magic sensor in an attempt to run away and escape from the demon. Kendra stood rooted to her spot however and was too paralyzed with fear to move.

The demon, which was larger than two mini vans combined, snarled once again as it's small beady black eyes watched the two panicking lovers. Torn skin and organs followed the canine corpse' decent as the demon's jaws parted and drew in a hissy breath. The bulging muscles on its shoulders flexed greatly as the monster threw its weight back and stood on its hind legs; howling a mighty roar to the skies above before falling back to all fours and glaring dangerously at the two girls. Its position then lowered to a threatening crouch; he was about to attack.

Zazie immediately noticed this and was now practically yanking Kendra's arm; yelling at the solidified girl all the while.

"Kendra! We have to move, now! Come on!" Kendra wanted to move, she really did want to move. But she couldn't; some unknown force was controlling her body and the magic sensor had no idea what to do. Kendra had never felt so terrified in her entire life; the bullies in South Caroling came nowhere near the grotesque creature in front of her. Kendra's legs felt like lead and jelly at the same time; too heavy to lift and too weak to move.

Zazie's yelling halted as she looked over to see the demon finally leap towards them while elongating its jagged long claws. The tan demon, who was recently only using human power, summoned her demon power from within and used it dive out the way with Kendra in her arms.

A talon just barely grazed across the fabric of Zazie's sleeve before the couple landed rather harshly and watched as the huge monster landed agilely and immediately turned in their direction. Kendra was finally snapped out of her trance from the shock of being tackled and quickly helped Zazie up. Despite the magic sensor's slightly trembling figure, she ordered the tattooed girl clearly.

"Zazie, leave me and get help quick-"

"I already told you no Kendra!" Zazie once again declined heatedly before both girls parted and jumped in opposite directions, avoiding another leap from the growling beast. The demon once again landed perfectly and snarled angrily from missing his food once again.

Kendra and Zazie rolled upon impact on the ground and held their position carefully; waiting for which girl that the demon would attack first. _'Shit! Shit, shit, shit! Dis can' be happenin'! Anima! I need your help man!'_ The magic sensor desperately called out for Anima's assistance but then growled angrily when she received no response from the immortal. Kendra growled once again as she realized that the beast was directing its hungry gaze at Zazie. _'No dammit!'_ This isn't good; the last thing Kendra wanted was for the beast to pursue Zazie. The magic sensor knew that Zazie was a half demon and had a better chance at surviving than Kendra did, but in Zazie's circumstance, it wasn't that simple.

Steeling her resolve and swallowing her rare fear, Kendra sprinted for the beast while it had its attention on Zazie and jumped; successfully landing on its surprisingly firm yet slick back. The demon thrashed and bucked wildly while also ramming itself into several trees trying to crush Kendra's body against them. The magic sensor struggled to get a good grip on the demon as its frantic movements flung her body violently and the slimy substance on its back only made things for Kendra even harder. Zazie took this chance to once again use her demon strength and charged for the beast's hind legs. The tan girl grunted in effort as she held each leg in either hand and somewhat effectively kept the monster's clawed feet grounded.

"Dammit! Hold still ya fuckin' bastard!" Kendra shouted as the tips of her shoes managed to snag themselves onto a groove in between the two bones of the monster's vertebrate. Her hands grabbed onto an individual vertebrate as well; finally sustaining a decent hold. Kendra knew that the next thing she would do is a long shot; but she had to at least try.

The magic sensor tried to focus intensely on her arm to generate her newly acquired inhuman strength into it. Her energy gathering came up short though as the beast manage to momentarily free its legs from Zazie's hands and once again rammed into another tree; succeeding to crush Kendra's hand.

"Ahhh!" She cried out as the pain exploded in her hand before traveling throughout her whole body.

"Kendra!" Zazie shouted before taking a dangerous risk by running under the demon's body and placing her palms flatly onto the monster's robust belly. The half demon grinded her teeth as she lifted the massive beast. Before Kendra could fully comprehend what was happening, she heard her girlfriend yell commandingly.

"Jump off!" Kendra obeyed and hastily hopped off the demon, but couldn't avoid landing on her injured hand and grunted deeply in pain. Zazie slowly tilted her body back, reeling the weight of the monster along with her before throwing the beast into three thick trees with as much strength as she could possibly give. However, before the demon's body went flying it managed to claw at the tan demon's torso and tore skin; a steadily growing burgundy stain formed on Zazie's shirt.

The demon's side crashed into and broke right through the sturdy trees and skidded to a stop a few meters further after tumbling a short distance. The shattered trees began to collapse; two of them crashed onto the motionless demon and one descended dangerously close to where Kendra was lying. Kendra quickly pushed herself up using her uninjured hand and ran out of the falling tree's range. The ground trembled as the trunk came down in a loud thud and was just short of squishing Kendra; the magic sensor looked at the fallen trunk while holding her right hand warily before looking over at Zazie.

When Zazie turned around, Kendra had to stop herself from losing all feeling in her legs and collapsing to her knees. A large blood stain that started from the tan demon's upper chest streamed all the way down to her waist and a few red dyes were found on her left shoulder as well. Again, the magic sensor knew she was half demon, she knew that in due time that her wound would heal itself, but to see Zazie with such a large and deep gash made Kendra feel sick to her stomach.

"O-oh my god." The magic sensor hastily ran over to Zazie and gently wrapped her good hand around the tan girl's shoulder; she was just in time too since the half demon then slumped and piled on more than half of her weight onto the magic sensor. Kendra held her up easily though and worriedly scanned over the tattooed demon's injury as her right swollen hand trembled, the pain already numbing it significantly.

"Shit Zazie…w-we need to go 'n get ya to bite-size! Sh-she can help we wit these kinds of things, right?" Zazie's eyes were unfocused and hazy though as her head hung slightly; the wound she received was deep and she lost a fatal amount of blood in a short amount of time. Kendra gently yet frantically tried to nudge the half demon in an attempt to snap her back to her senses, but her efforts were futile.

The magic sensor looked back at where the assumed dead demon was and then down the path that she and Zazie were taking. The transfer student's hand was practically crushed from earlier and is currently useless, but she'd have to ignore that fact for now. Kendra breathed deeply in preparation before scooping Zazie up bridal style; she restrained her scream of pain as her throbbing hand which was supporting Zazie's legs protested immensely. The dark skin girl resisted the pain though and hurriedly began to carry her lover to the vampire's cabin.

"J-just hold on babe, you'll be o-" Kendra's heart rate and magic sensory suddenly spiked but before the magic sensor could turn around, an incredibly strong force collided into her right side and sent her flying into a tree. Kendra felt the wind get knocked out of her as her spine took the full impact before falling to the ground in a wheezing heap.

Zazie's body lied there where Kendra used to be just a few moments ago but now with that same snarling demon as before looming over the unconscious girl's form. Its greasy tongue slithered over yellow and red rotten teeth before dipping its head lower to sniff the comatose food greedily.

Kendra slowly brought her left hand under her and tried to push herself up but then winced and immediately collapsed. A stinging pain within her right abdomen was hindering her movements and the magic sensor could assume that the blow she received from the demon broke a rib or two.

"F-fuck!" The transfer student glared fiercely at the demon and once again tried to get up; she fell down again however.

"Don't you fucking touch her!" She screamed ferociously as the rims of her hazel pupils began to pulsate an eerie green and her teeth clenched harshly. The demon released an annoyed growl at the magic sensor as it temporarily diverted its attention away from Zazie and stomped over to Kendra; thin strings of saliva pooling from its mouth at the sight of yet another piece of fresh meat to consume.

As the monster approached closely to the severely injured girl, Kendra's gaze shifted back over to Zazie; her anger boiling from witnessing the condition that she was in. _'Dis isn't right…I-I should be protectin' ya like I promised!'_ The magic sensor should be protecting the tan demon from all harm; it was her sworn promise to Zazie and here they were beaten and bruised. _'I have to keep my promise dammit!'_ A thin layer of unshed tears formed in Kendra's eyes as her pupils shimmered a lime shade; her mind trailing back to the declaration that the magic sensor made to Zazie many years ago. The memory explaining Zazie's circumstances for not applying her demon powers to its fullest…

* * *

><p><em>Flashback<em>

"_Hey Zazie…how come ya don' show ya wings or horns no more?" Younger Kendra questioned curiously while relaxing on her bed and skimming through a picture book. The tan demon, who was seated next to Kendra and reading the children's book as well, didn't reply for a long moment while shyly avoiding the magic sensor's gaze._

"…_Zazie?" Kendra attempted to call out to the half demon once again while scooting a bit closer to her. The young half demon was reluctant at first but then slowly raised her dark brown orbs to look straight into Kendra's hazel ones and muttered lowly._

"…_b-because I can't…" Kendra tilted her head to the side in deeper curiosity._

"_Ya can't…why not?" With a timid blush spreading across her cheeks, Zazie gently rested the side head against Kendra's shoulder while staring blankly at the wall on the opposite of the magic sensor's room._

"…_I…don't know Kendra…I don't know. I'm not sure how it happened but, e-ever since we met, I can't summon my wings and horns…"_

"_Hmmm…so basically, some of ya powers done went 'n disappeared?" Kendra guessed but didn't seem to be correct due to Zazie warily shaking her head._

"_N-no…it's still there but, there's this…feeling that I get. Whenever I try to s-summon them my stomach does flips, my hands shake, and my heart pounds so much that it hurts…" Kendra hummed to herself in thought while closing the book and then looking to the ceiling. The magic sensor then flashed a knowing smile at the Hanyou before wrapping an arm around Zazie's shoulder; bringing her into a comforting half hug._

"_Ya know, I think dat's fear ya feelin'…are ya scared to use ya demon powers Zazie?" The tattooed demon, adorning a light blush from the physical contact, looked down in deep contemplation. _**_'I'm… afraid?'_**_ She wondered skeptically. Zazie couldn't possibly see why she'd be troubled with the idea of handling her demonic abilities to its fullest…at least that's what Zazie forced herself to believe. If that was indeed the case, then what was it? Why was Zazie so afraid?_

_Kendra's carefree yet insightful orbs stared upon Zazie's introspective expression before gradually revealing a reassuring smile._

"_Does it…remind ya of ya past Zazie?" This time Kendra's guess seemed to be right on mark as the statement plucked one of Zazie's sensitive heart strings. The tan demon brought her knees up to body and wrapped her arms around them. Not intending to so suddenly upset the demon, Kendra frantically yet carefully began to caress Zazie's hair the most comforting way possible._

"_I-I'm sorry; I didn' mean to make ya sad…" The magic sensor trailed off guiltily as she witnessed Zazie's small body begin to quake slightly with fear as memories of her sinful past began to flash though her mind. _

"_Hey…" Kendra whispered softly before embracing the half demon fully and rubbing her back soothingly._

"_Ya ain't gotta worry 'bout it a'ight? Don' use those powers okay? 'Cause ya won' ever need 'em as long as I'm around. I'll protect ya and I'll always be there for ya…I promise Zazie." The tan demon nodded her head weakly as her tremors only alleviated a minor amount and then slowly unwounded her arms to hug the dark skin girl back._

"_P-please…always protect me."_

"_I will Zazie…forever." Kendra responded soundly as she continued to hold Zazie in her protective young arms…_

_Flashback End_

* * *

><p>A puff of hot and humid breath drifted across Kendra's plastid face as the demon's oral incisors came fatally close to the unresponsive girl. The magic sensor's vacant hazel eyes refused to leave Zazie as they weakly trembled; looking focused yet unfocused at the same time.<p>

The green beast released a low and threatening growl while dribbling streams of its gelatin-like saliva splashed onto the transfer student's form.

Kendra's body felt numb; no feeling whatsoever were left within her limbs, not even pain. The sensation felt unusual to Kendra. She felt so light; like the giant ball of pain that was compressing into her was lifted by some unknown phenomena. Was this the borderline between desperation and death is what the magic sensor wondered; it could be just that, but Kendra's interest was not fixated on this question anymore as her view of the half demon was absorbed by the wrinkled and slick lining of the beast's gums and teeth.

The green monstrosity had its jaws open and hovering over Kendra's head; about to consume her cranium in one bite.

Something in her snapped.

The brims of her pupils were quickly engulfed by an intricate system of emerald streaks and contours before they came together in the center as a solid, single hue. The darkness overshadowing Kendra's head from the large monster's orifice were slowly being obstructed by an increasing jade glow.

'**P-please…always protect me…'**

"I will…forever…" She muttered as an overwhelming force filled her entire being to the agonizing limit; seeming that she would burst with the slightest movement. No movements were required though as a boundless might detonated from within her; her pupils morphing into a bright and lush blaze of green. The magic sensor released a potent cry of empowerment.

Following that almighty scream, a vast green light that nearly blinded the beady eyed beast seeped from around the edges and crevices of its maw. Before the demon could enclose it's fangs around the girl's head, an immensely violent shove of something solid was driven through the roof of its mouth.

"Grraaugh!" The demon choked out as it felt that same solid object yank itself out of the roof of its mouth and then was thrown several yards away by a powerful kick ramming into its chest. The beast went crashing through several trees and then came to a definite stop as it landed in a large stream; resulting in an enormous splash of water and soaking the forest around it considerably. The demon groggily rose back up while shaking its head rapidly; trying to clear the cob webs that the damaging kick had caused. It then released a growl in agony as it tasted the iron from the blood gathering within its mouth; the wound so deep that the blood flow didn't slow in the slightest. The green beast once again shook its head and sent a torrent of gushing blood to fly in all directions; effectively masking its surroundings with the crimson fluid. The monster's piercing eyes glared irately at the glowing green form rising slowly from the ground and shrieked a hostile, gurgling snarl.

Kendra's entire figure was swamped with an eerie yet flagellated emerald aura of majestic energy as her eyes glowed vibrantly. The magic sensor's blank expression scanned over her injured hand which was covered in blood and flesh before shaking it off indifferently; wiping off the remains on her jacket afterwards with a sneer. Her sneer then intensified ten folds as her shoulders hunched forward intimidatingly and grumbled deeply.

"_**Thy shall die now…**_" Kendra's voice had once again fused with Anima's…

* * *

><p>Setsuna and Konoka hastily ran through the many deciduous trees and garnishing their pactio activated attire.<p>

"Be prepared Konochan. I think we're getting clo-" Setsuna immediately stopped and stared wide eyed ahead of her. Konoka didn't realize that the Hanyou had stopped until after a few moments of hearing only her feet running and turned around to face the silent swordswoman.

"Secchan? What's wrong?" Setsuna quickly pulled out Yuunagi and then walked up to Konoka to whisper cautiously.

"K-Konochan…do you feel that? There's a-another presence." The mage princess scrunched up her eyebrows in confusion before taking the chance in trying to the sense the nearby magical pressure. The chocolate haired heiress wasn't very skilled at sensing magic energy yet since Setsuna just started training her on how to do it, but even a starter like Konoka immediately felt what the half demon did.

"…w-wow…it's feel s so…" She gasped in awe like also directing her gaze down the path they're taking. Setsuna nodded gravely.

"Heavy…it didn't exactly feel welcoming either. Konochan, this might be a bit more dangerous than I thought. When we get there, I need you to stand back and only intervene when it is safe enough."

"I'd listen to her if I were you Konoka-San, de gozaru." Both Setsuna and Konoka looked up to where the familiar voice came from and saw their classmate and one of the protectors of the school barrier, Kaede Nagase, kneeled onto a tree branch. The tall easy going ninja jumped down and landed gracefully in front of the couple and flashed her signature laid back and close eyed smile.

"That magical energy is not something to play around with; I know that Setsuna-San understands what I'm talking about, de gozaru." Setsuna's shoulders stiffened as Kaede's lazy smile seemed to burn into her; the ninja obviously knew something despite her being one of the many members of Ala Alba that had no knowledge of Kendra's hidden power.

"In fact, this magical pressure feels very familiar. I wonder Setsuna-San…you wouldn't happen to remember who that presence belongs to, do you, de gozaru?" This time Konoka's shoulders became rigid in realization of whom that magical presence was most likely emitting from, _'O-oh no…Kendra-San…'_ Setsuna sighed in defeat before turning to Kaede.

"You don't even have to ask me, since you already know who it is Kaede-San."

"I figured as much, that force field she used before wasn't normal at all, de gozaru."

"G-guys, I know you are really into this conversation, but we have to hurry." Konoka interjected anxiously; memories of her last meeting with Anima sending chills down her spine. Setsuna, who knew what her girlfriend was feeling, and Kaede nodded in agreement before once again running to where an unconscious Zazie, a damaged demon, and a possessed Kendra were located…

* * *

><p>"<em><strong>I have never shed the skin of a sniveling beast of thy's species…<strong>_" An immortal influenced Kendra started as she eyed the growling demon fiercely.

"_**But thy would be an interesting new piece to my collection.**_" The green beast snarled in response before lowering itself to the ground and start charging in a wild dash for Kendra. The magic sensor stood motionless as the demon approached, her glowing green eyes glued to the monster's small ones and smirking all the while.

Finally, as the demon came within striking distance of Kendra, it once again leaped with its claws flared out and howling madly. Just as the tips of the monster's claws came within centimeters of tearing into the transfer student's flesh, Kendra's form became a green blur before disappearing completely. The demon grunted in slight miff as it landed on the thick tree that Kendra was leaning against with its claws embedded into the bark. The demon released another howl before lashing out at the tree and hopping off; leaving behind multiple scathing marks on the destroyed trunk.

The green beast shifted its vision around frantically, searching for his suddenly vanished food. As the demon continued to twist and turn about, an unknown entity appeared on its back with one hand holding tightly onto a vertebrate and the other rose into a glowing fist.

"_**Now, let's try this again**_." Kendra growled as she generated an immense amount of energy into her injured hand once again. The demon once again bucked around crazily in which Kendra handled with ease as she was able to withhold her grip on the monster's back. But instead of continuing the same routine as before, the demon then abruptly threw it's body forward and tucked under; intending to flip onto its back and crush the girl's body.

Kendra sucked her teeth in annoyance before becoming a blur once again and avoided being in between the ground and four tons of demon. Kendra reappeared a few feet away with her right hand still glowing and gradually building up in compacted energy. The demon's legs thrashed for a few moments before swinging its body over to get back on all fours again. Suddenly though, the demon's footing began to sway clumsily and shook its head rapidly to regain focus. The blood loss was finally catching up with the demon and Kendra's smug smile widened even more upon realizing this.

"_**Thy can't last much longer. Just surrender thy's head to me and all will run smoothly.**_" Kendra taunted as the demon continued to stumble about but still managed enough of its senses to decipher where the magic sensor's image was located and once again galloped after her.

"_**Such a foolish brute of an animal.**_" Kendra chided before putting both hands up to capture an individual jaw in each hand. The demon tried to bring its fangs down on the transfer student but found it nearly impossible when competing against the magic sensor's immortal strength. Kendra then lifted the demon and slammed it into the ground with an earth shattering thud. Then she lifted the beast and slammed it three more times before taking the bottom jaw which was held within her right hand and, with a sickening crack, twisted it in an awkward direction.

The demon howled in agony as its dislocated jaw slackened to the side and a gunky mixture of blood and saliva poured from the beast's mouth. Determined to use that stored energy within her right fist, Kendra reeled back her hand and eyed the demon intensely; her chilling jade eyes directing nothing but hate and supremacy towards the demon.

"Nng…w-where…" Zazie mumbled as she slowly sat up but then stopped half way as a dull pain quaked throughout her torso. The tan demon carefully placed a hand over her chest but then retracted once she felt a slick substance. She stared at the palm of her hand to confirm that it was indeed blood. Zazie fought against the minor throbbing as she sat up all the way and analyzed her appearance.

The large blood stains around her upper body and shoulder were still present, but fortunately the gash had healed and in its place was a large scab. As Zazie witnessed the recovered skin, memories of how she ended up in this predicament came reeling back to her. She immediately looked around her in search for Kendra.

She didn't have to look for long though as her auburn eyes were snagged onto an unsettling sight. There stood Kendra with her body surrounded by a shining emerald coat of magical energy as it whipped around calmly. Kendra also had a tight hold on the demon's upper mouth and showcasing a bone chilling glare; having reeled back her radiant right fist all the while. Zazie felt her hands tremble in fear, _'n-no…that aura is…'_

"K-Kendra…" She called out weakly; her voice fell on deaf ears however as Kendra smiled sinisterly at the defenseless demon before her.

"_**I'll see to it that thy's soul will be sent to hell!**_" The aura around Kendra's fist suddenly flared out wildly and expanded to three times its original size.

SLASH!

The demon's neck oozed a steady stream of crimson liquid before the head slowly slithered off the beast's body. Kendra, who still had her fist held up and shimmering as brightly as ever, and Zazie stared silently as the large head rolled a few feet away and stopped in front of Setsuna's feet.

"Kendra-San, stop this and snap out of it!" The swordswoman commanded as she flicked her Yuunagi to rid it of the demon's blood. Zazie finally took this chance to carefully stand to her feet and take a cautious step towards Kendra. The magic sensor did not react to Setsuna however as she stared at the beheaded demon's body; in her arrogant immortal mind, Setsuna had just taken away a life that she was responsible for. It felt unsatisfying, not being able to take the demon's soul and banish it to hell since the undying soul didn't have to ability to do this to an already deceased corpse.

"…_**Thy has taken…what was rightfully mine!**_" Kendra growled as her fist trembled in anger before directing her attack, which was initially meant for the demon, at Setsuna with a yell of fury. With a flap of her porcelain white wings, Setsuna flew upward and gracefully dodged the destructive force. Kendra's beam of energy blasted away a large clearing of shrubberies and foliage; leaving nothing but scorched earth in its wake.

Setsuna stared at the disarray that Kendra caused in astonishment before yelling out to her once again from up in the sky.

"Kendra-San! Don't let Anima control you! Come back to your senses!"

"_**Thy had no business in this! That soul was meant to be taken by me and no one else!**_" Kendra snapped back furiously as both of her hands began to illuminate brightly. The magic sensor's attention was caught on something else though as she felt another well hidden yet detected presence behind her. Without hesitating, Kendra spun around and shot both of her attacks at the suddenly appearing persona; Kaede swiftly avoided them though with that smile of hers never fading. As the ninja landed gracefully from her somersault, Kaede scratched the back of her head somewhat sheepishly.

"Ah, gomen, having to just drop in and subdue you even though we haven't gotten to know each other, de gozaru." Kendra sneered before raising a finger at Kaede.

"_**We will never learn of the other thy lowly retch!**_"

"Ouch, you're a grumpy one, de gozaru." The magic sensor grinded her teeth; finding the useless conversation starting to claw at the little patience she had.

"_**Enough of this worthless talk-**_"

"Kendra" Both Kendra and Anima felt their hearts jump into their throats; each had entirely different reasons for it though. Anima was shocked and caught off guard as the tan demon managed to come near the magic sensor from behind and envelope her in a snug embrace. On the other hand, Kendra's real subconscious from within was devastated as she felt her lover's body shutter in fear against her.

_'Oh god she's scared, Anima, dat's enough! You can go back now!'_

"I-I know you're in there. Please Kendra…come back to me." Zazie muttered as she buried her face into the magic sensor's back. Kendra stood there rooted to her spot as her gleaming green eyes remained unchanging and stared blankly ahead of her. Instead of responding to the tan demon's pleas, the magic sensor replied to inner Kendra's voice.

"_**No child…I cannot go back. Thy has so foolishly used my abilities once again. Now thy has to pay the consequences…**_"

_'But Anima! Ya saw what was happenin' to us! Zazie could've died dammit!'_

"_**It does not matter. Thy has made a dire mistake."**_

_'Everyone makes mistakes Anima! Even you have made a huge mistake once!'_

"_**And look at where I am now!**_" Anima screamed furiously as Zazie tightened her hold on the magic sensor while shedding a few tears of worry; praying that her girlfriend would survive whatever mental war that Anima and Kendra were having. Setsuna and Kaede watched on cautiously as the magic sensor argued with the immortal being while unnoticeably preparing themselves by leisurely storing up Ki. Anima did not seem to discern this though as he continued to heatedly yell at Kendra.

"_**Thy cannot make such critical mistakes and repent so easily! There is punishment for everything! For every wrong! For everyone!"**_

_'…but you could never find the right punishment for what you did…now did you…'_

"_**Child…thy is crossing a line that thy shouldn't…"**_ Anima threatened coldly as his lips peeled back to reveal clenching teeth. Kendra continued to speak her penetrating statements though.

_'You keep trying to repent for your mistake when you know very damn well that it will never be enough!'_

"_**Hush now child!"**_

_'Think about your family! Think about what they would say if they knew that this is how you were spending the rest of your pathetic and never ending life! What would they say huh?!'_

"_**Hush child!"**_

_'What would they say?!'_

"_**Enough!"**_

_'What would they say Anima?!'_

"_**THAT I DESERVED EVERY LAST BIT OF IT!"**_ Zazie had to tighten her hold on the magic sensor as Anima began to hold his head in his hands and lowered himself to the ground sorrowfully. The tan demon gently kneeled down with the magic sensor as Kendra's body began to quiver violently.

"_**THAT I'M A MURDEROUS SCUM! A KILLER! A HEARTLESS MONSTER!"**_

_'You're wrong Anima! They'd never say that and you know it!'_

"_**WHY WOULDN'T THEY?! THEY HAVE THE RIGHT TO HATE MY VERY BEING!"**_ Anima slammed his fist into the ground and succeeded in leaving behind a deep crater.

_'No Anima! They're your family! They loved you and still do! They wouldn't want to see you wasting your life away trying to make up for your mistake! It was the past! You've got to let it go!'_

"_**THIS IS NOT A PAST THAT CAN BE FORGOTTEN! I CANNOT BE FORGIVEN FOR THIS!"**_ Anima's voice began to tremor with remorse and it seemed that his depressive state was contagious as Zazie's tears began to fall faster. Kaede and Setsuna noticed how unguarded the magic sensor was and gave each a silent agreement; they would take advantage of this.

_'You don't need to do this Anima! You were given another chance to live! Not to torture yourself! Live a happy life Anima! Let me help you live the life that you deserved to have!'_

The magic sensor's fingers dug deeply into the dirt as they enclosed into a tight fist; Anima's luminescent eyes glaring and breathing harshly.

"_**Thy always speaks of me deserving a life…deserving to live happily…deserving a chance! Thy doesn't know what I deserve! THY HAS NOT SEEN THE HORROR OF MY ACTIONS WITH THY'S OWN EYES!"**_

_'Then show me…'_ Kendra suddenly requested in a determined tone as the immortal being remained frozen for a few moments in shock.

"…_**w-what…"**_

_'Show me Anima. Show me why you don't deserve a chance to live. Show me what happened.'_

"_**Th-thy is insane…t-to want so witness such a sinful event-"**_

_'I want to know your pain Anima. Let me see this…or else I can never see things from the way you view them. I want to play it even…'_

"…_**thy's foolishness…truly never ceases to ama-"**_ Anima's words were cut short as Kaede flashed stepped next the kneeling couple and delivered a quick blow to the back of Kendra's neck. The glow in the magic sensor's eyes soon diminished and revealed the transfer student's hazel eyes once again before finally falling unconscious. Zazie held the knocked out girl within her arms and gazed guiltily upon her bruised appearance.

"I'm so sorry Kendra." She whispered as Konoka finally appeared from behind a set of trees and rushing over to Kendra; assisting to help and heal the magic sensor's injuries…

* * *

><p>"<em>Come on daddy!"<em>

"Mmn…damn…" Kendra muttered groggily as she rubbed the back of her sore neck; not exactly sure why it was throbbing in pain in the first place. As she fully sat up and studied her surroundings, the magic sensor saw something she didn't expect.

Instead of being stranded in the middle of the dark abyss to converse with Anima like usual, Kendra was surrounded by an endless white void. The transfer student rose to her feet and turned a whole circle; she saw nothing and no one however.

"Where da hell am I?"

"_Why is thy so giddy?"_

"_Daddy's so slow! Come on! Come on! I've gotta show thy something!"_

"What the? W-who…" Kendra mumbled in confusion as she searched for the source of the two mysterious voices.

"…_**The scenery was brilliant that day."**_ Kendra easily recognized that voice however as she turned around to see Anima; sitting by himself and staring blandly at the magic sensor.

"Anima…what day are you-"

"_**Turn around child."**_ Kendra immediately turned around once again and was rewarded with the colossal yet nearly transparent image of blonde little girl with the most fragile, beautiful, and emerald eyed features that a carefree child could possibly have. The magic sensor cracked a sad smile as the large image then slowly zoomed out to show the young girl eagerly tugging past Anima towards the forest and into an area of blooming flowers. Without tearing her eyes away from the playing memory, Kendra took a few steps backwards and sat down next to Anima.

"Anima…"

"…_**What is it child…"**_

"She's beautiful"

"_**...very beautiful…"**_ Anima muttered as the magic sensor turned to the immortal being and flashed a comforting smile. Now, the dark skin girl could finally see the man's pain and help him on an entirely more trusted level…

* * *

><p>Yep, that's all for now. :p And finally, Kendra and Anima are starting to form a deeper bond in trust! JESUS that took forever to establish in this story ne? Well, there's still some development going on between them, so don' think we're done just yet. :P<p>

So yeah, until next chapter, please

CLICK THE BLUE BUTTON. -.-


	25. Chapter 25

Heyyyyyyyy! XD Wow, it has been such a long time! And you know what, the only lame excuse I can give is that school has REALLY been stressful lately and I'v been having writer's block. But I fough valiantly to get this up! Thank goodness my efforts came through! Xp

So, let's get this rolling!

Disclaimer: I do not own Negima or any or its characters.

Now please, enjoy the chapter! XD

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 25<strong>

"She's got a broken rib. Luckily the other one is just fractured and then she's got a few bruises here and there…but Kami…she took a lot of damage…" Konoka muttered as she continued to heal the unconscious magic sensor within Zazie's arms. That muttered statement made Zazie's heart gradually yet painfully tear in two with guilt; she couldn't stop her tears from idly sliding down her tan cheeks.

"This is my fault…" She choked out before slowly lowering her head and nuzzling her cheek against Kendra's hair; her tears falling even faster. Konoka along with Setsuna and Kaede flashed a sympathetic gaze towards Zazie, but that's all they could do at that moment.

It was a confusing yet simple answer for how to respond to a sobbing and guilt ridden friend; to comfort her as much as possible. But when that specific girl was Zazie Rainyday, 3-A's emotionless acrobat that they never thought would ever need comfort; the three girls were momentarily stumped that this imagined and nearly impossible situation became a reality right before their eyes.

But there was that key word, momentarily; it was no more than five seconds later did Setsuna and Kaede walk up to Zazie and placed an individual comforting hand on the tan demon's shoulders.

"It's not your fault Zazie-San." Setsuna interjected.

"You wouldn't have known ahead of time that the demon was going to appear…most people don't. The barrier around the school doesn't always shield us efficiently…some demons can slip through undetected…that's why Kaede-San and I came here. But apparently…" Setsuna shifted her gaze over in Kendra's direction before looking back at Zazie.

"We were too late. So if it's anyone's fault…"

"It's ours, de gozaru." Kaede finished. Konoka shook her head however.

"No, it wasn't anybody's fault. No one should be blamed for this." The mage princess flashed her sympathetic chocolate orbs at Zazie; the tan demon merely nodded in response as she nestled her cheek more firmly against Kendra's head.

Setsuna sighed before standing and looking down the path which led to Evangeline's cabin; as much as she resented the idea, she knew that what she was about to suggest had to be done.

"We've managed to knock Kendra-San out before Anima did any serious damage, but we don't really know if she's stable. We'll have to take her to Evangeline-San again." Kaede tilted her head slightly in confusion before voicing curiously.

"Who is this Anima fellow that you're talking about, de gozaru?"

"It's a long story Kaede-San…" Setsuna answered tiredly before turning around to inspect the damage.

And boy was there some damage. Several fallen trees and scorched earth were surrounding the group of girls along with patches of destroyed flora. Then there was the area where the demon's blood was splattered everywhere along with the dampness of that large splash from the stream; the mixture of it leaving boggy trails of light crimson fluid to drip languidly from branches and leaves. Then there was that specific tree trunk that received the demon's temperamental slashing to leave it as nothing more than a splinter stub. Finally, Setsuna's onyx eyes scanned for a peculiar demon carcass.

The Hanyou didn't see it.

She didn't see the head either.

Setsuna's eyes narrowed suspiciously as she turned a full circle to make sure that her somewhat tired mind wasn't playing tricks on her. She then hastily paced back over to Kaede and stated sternly.

"The demon's body isn't here." Kaede's eyes revealed themselves for a split second to showcase an expression of slight surprise before closing again. Zazie and Konoka shot an anxious glance at the silent ninja and swordswoman; the school guardians' expressions grim and deep in thought. Zazie felt her protective demonic nature flare from within as her gaze shifted about abruptly while unconsciously holding the magic sensor closer into her embrace.

"Hmmm, I don't quite sense its presence nearby." Setsuna muttered as she closed her eyes and applied more focus into sensing the demon's existence; she didn't indicate any familiar magical auras though.

"Do you sense anything Kaede-San?" The swordswoman asked with her head still lowered and concentrating. The tall ninja shook her head before smiling apologetically.

"No, I'm afraid not Setsuna-San. It seems that the demon has escaped de gozaru." Setsuna didn't like this and Konoka and Zazie appeared to be conveying similar feelings of unease. Setsuna swiftly pulled out her pactio card and pressed it to her forehead; in the end, both Negi and Konoka were going to assist the Hanyou this time…

* * *

><p>"…A-Asuna-San?" Negi muttered meekly as he knocked softly on the bathroom door. The child teacher's red haired companion had isolated herself in there for nearly fifty minutes now. This undoubtedly worried Negi to no end and he couldn't take the silence anymore. The child wizard knocked again.<p>

"Please Asuna-San, come out. You've been acting very strangely lately…what's wrong?"

"…" Negi received silence once again. He sighed lowly while rubbing his cheek tiredly; why did Asuna have to be so hard headed? Suddenly though, the child teacher heard a familiar voice inside his head.

_'Negi-Sensei, do you hear me?'_ After perking up attentively from detecting Setsuna's voice, Negi replied curtly.

_'Hai, Setsuna-San; what is it? Did everything go okay with the demon?'_

_'Not exactly…'_ Negi's expression turned quizzical.

_'What do you mean?'_

_'When we got there, the demon wasn't the only thing we found.'_ This only confused Negi even more. Setsuna continued quickly with her report on the situation however without pause.

_'It was Kendra-San and Zazie-San…they were both attacked by the demon and were injured in the process.'_ Negi felt himself choke on air as his thoughts immediately became inundated with frantic worry.

_'N-nani?! Are they okay?!'_

_'Hai; luckily the wounds aren't that fatal, so I think Zazie-San will be okay, but Kendra-San…she…'_ Setsuna faltered in the middle of her sentence, clearly aware of the panic that it would cause her teacher to feel. Negi pushed on though; determined to learn of the whereabouts of his students.

_'What about Kendra-San?'_ Negi heard Setsuna sigh from the other side and slowly began to sit down on the couch; something in his gut told him that he should sit down in preparation for whatever Setsuna was about to reveal.

_'It was Anima again Negi-Sensei. When Konochan and I arrived…Kendra-San was surrounded by this glowing, green magical energy and was holding the demon in her hands…preparing to blow it to bits…'_ Negi, devastated with the news, leaned forward and rested his head within the palm of his hands. That was the last, the absolute very last, thing that he wanted to hear about his newly acquired student. After the first encounter he had with the immortal being, the child wizard knew how dangerous the magic sensor could be once under Anima's influence. Negi tried to respond, but found that his brain was overworking itself and was unable to conjure up a thought that properly conveyed what he wanted.

_'I killed the demon before she could though…but then Kendra-San tried to attack me and Kaede-San.'_ Setsuna continued.

_'We were able to knock her unconscious for the mean time but…honestly we're not sure if Kendra-San is stable and the demon's body disappeared. It escaped.'_ Negi went over all of the information that Setsuna relayed to him; there were still a few questions roving around in his mind.

_'But wait…if Kaede-San was there, then how come Mana-San wasn't? She's usually one of the first to arrive when it comes to exterminating a demon.'_ Setsuna's eyes widened with realization.

_'I-I'm not sure why either Negi-Sensei…maybe something came up with her, but other than that, I don't know of Mana-San's current location. But Negi-Sensei…I really think you should be here.'_

_'Eh? Why?'_ Negi asked as he turned around to look at the still locked bathroom door. He wasn't comfortable with the idea of leaving his troubled student alone to deal with her arcane personal problem. Then again, he also wasn't comfortable with leaving her other precious students in the presence of the magic sensor since her mental condition wasn't certain and quite unpredictable.

_'Negi-Sensei…not too long ago, Kendra-San and Zazie-San have been planning to form a pactio with you in order to help gain control over Anima.'_ The mentioning of the word pactio made Negi's childish face flare up burgundy as he once again choked on the offending oxygen. Setsuna obviously suspected this reaction as she heard her teacher stutter and sighed lowly.

_'P-p-pactio?! A-and with Kendra-San? N-no, I couldn't; it w-wouldn't be right-'_

_'Negi-Sensei'_ Setsuna cut off Negi's rambling sharply.

_'There's no more time for hesitating. You have to do this, Kendra-San, Zazie-San, and everyone else in Ala-Alba has already agreed to the idea. She needs your help and quick.'_

Both sides were silent for a few moments. Negi sighed deeply before rising from the couch and slowly trotting back over to the bathroom door. He stopped inches away from it as his reluctant brown orbs stared at the smooth wooden surface. He really didn't want to do this. It was so rare; seeing Asuna act so distant and depressed were making his worrisome teacher senses tingle like crazy. Ignoring those senses was one of the hardest things that Negi has done, but after tracking back and thinking over the current situation with Kendra, Asuna's situation would unfortunately have to be taken care of later.

_'Hai, Setsuna-San…I'll make the pactio. Where are you?'_

_'We're heading for Evangeline-San's cabin, she should be able to get Kendra-San stable again. But this problem with Anima has to come to a stop Negi-Sensei.'_ Setsuna responded austerely. Negi nodded in agreement.

_'I know Setsuna-San; I'll be there as soon as possible.'_

_'Hai, Negi-Sensei. Meet you there.'_ The swordswoman's thoughts disconnected from Negi's mind. As Setsuna departed, Negi hastily raised his fist to the door and knocked once again…

* * *

><p>"Do I just care about her...or do I…like her?" Asuna asked herself in a low whisper. The confused red head was standing over the sink and staring at her reflection in the mirror in bewilderment. She didn't know who she was looking at; this couldn't possibly be her.<p>

In the mirror, she was a mentally and emotionally exhausted girl with slightly pale features. Her head was lowered in distraught unlike how the usual haughty Asuna would have her head raised in minor hubris. Her fingers gripped the edges of the sink tightly; practically trembling from the force behind it. The red head was frustrated, perplexed, and annoyed.

Why did this mysterious new feeling decide to show up now? What peculiar event, gesture, or word triggered such a foreign emotion within her? Asuna had no idea what it was, but what she did know is that she supposedly has special feelings for Ayaka Yukihiro.

"…I can't like her…it's just plain stupid. She hates me and I hate her…I mean, at least I think I hate her. But then I like her too!? Gah! This is freakin' ridiculous!" Asuna growled as she rubbed her right temple irritably; these mixed matched ideals were getting her nowhere.

Luckily for the frazzled girl, her unorganized musings came to a stop as she heard another knock from the door.

"Asuna-San! I'm sorry but, I-I have to go!" Negi's voice resounded loudly from the other side.

"Kendra-San and Zazie-San were attacked by a demon and I have to go check on them!" Asuna's attention perked after hearing that statement. The red head had to admit, and with great inhibition, that she had grown a small soft spot for Kendra. So this left her feeling slightly worried for the magic sensor. Then, of course, she also worried for Zazie's well-being. Finally, as a coincidental bonus, this could be a perfect distraction for Asuna from her possibly romantic feelings for a certain blonde class president.

Asuna sighed as she took one more glance at her foreign reflection before rolling her eyes and abruptly opening the door.

The sudden violent swing caused Negi to squeak and jump back in surprise.

"Whoa! A-Asuna-Sa-"

"Don't think you're leaving me out of the fun baka." Asuna responded blandly while inwardly cursing herself for using her flat tone again. _'Come on, pick up the freakin' slack!'_ She scolded herself heatedly as Negi blinked in bewilderment at the red head's distant yet angered features.

"Wait, you're coming? Really?" The young child wizard asked with childish hope radiating from his bespectacled brown eyes. Once again, Asuna rolled her eyes before swiftly walking past Negi and heading towards the door. Without turning around, the unusually emotionless student muttered over her shoulder.

"So where to Negi-San?" Negi, finally realizing that he was being left behind, quickly reached for his trusty staff and followed after Asuna.

"T-to Evangeline-San's cabin; Setsuna-San said that I would have to do a pactio with Ken-"

WHACK!

"Itai!" Negi yelped loudly as he held the back of his stinging head.

"YOU'RE KISSING ANOTHER ONE?!" It seems that Asuna's signature flare had suddenly returned ten-fold as her bi-chromatic eyes burned holes into the young boy in pain.

"B-but I have to! It's the only way to save her Asuna-San!" Negi whined as he cautiously soothed the protruding lump atop his delicate scalp. In response, the red head huffed and continued onward for Evangeline's cabin while grumbling about a 'no good, kiss abusing, baka child'. Negi followed behind Asuna; whimpering over his assaulted head all the while…

* * *

><p>"So…what you're saying is…Guinyard Kendra actually has a four century old and all-powerful immortal soul living inside of her head?" Kazumi muttered slowly in skepticism. The news reporter, Nodoka, Yue, and Sayo have finally found the secret that they've been looking for; but now that they knew it, they weren't sure about how to treat this important discovery.<p>

"And you said…that he used to live a normal life…" Sayo started slowly.

"That he had a wife and a child…but then unintentionally…murdered them?" The ghostly girl felt her sensitive undead heart nearly break as her mind imagined such a tragic situation. Kazumi unconsciously reached out her hand to place it comfortingly on the ghost girl's shoulder but then halted half way. The paparazzi girl, with a slightly embarrassed expression across her face, leisurely brought her hand back down while trying to eschew from her classmates' and ermine's quizzical stares.

"That's um…very tragic to hear…" Yue commented awkwardly; her curious eyes still lingering on Kazumi's subtly uncomfortable figure.

"Yup" Chamo said as he took a long drag on another cigar. It wasn't a second later until Yue irritably snatched the stick of tobacco from his ermine mouth once again and threw that one away as well.

"I said…no, smoking, in, the library." Yue reprimanded coldly as the albino rodent pouted obnoxiously.

"But I needs my daily dosage Ane-San! You can't fight the power of huge cigars Ane-San, you just can't!" The protesting ermine's baffling response seemed to serve its purpose flawlessly; Yue was left a bit baffled. Finally, after a moment of inward deciphering, the short librarian asked.

"…Do you need shots or something?" She then sighed in exasperation while tiredly rubbing her forehead; Kazumi chuckled under her breath in the background. Chamo obviously noticed this and in response, shot the giggling pinkish-red head an annoyed glare.

"Moving on with Anima…" He started with a just barely present growl behind his words.

"He has a lot, and when I mean a lot I mean a boat load, of power. Evangeline-Ane-San wasn't joking when she said that Kendra-Ane-San's power rivaled with her own; hell, it could be a lot stronger. But then again, this Anima guy could bring some serious trouble for Kendra-Ane-San and us…" Chamo muttered as he lowered his head and thoughtfully rubbed his furry chin; his right ear twitching every few seconds. This caused the girls to unconsciously lean closer to the concentrating rodent.

"What do you mean trouble?" Kazumi asked cautiously. The albino rodent's eyes narrowed with rare graveness as his gleaming black pupils hardened with seriousness. Chamo held his answer for a silent yet suspenseful moment; hesitating on whether or not he should relay the troubling news to the girls.

But then again, these girls were members of Ala-Alba and they were technically magical warriors in their own right. Plus, he had also recently learned of the girls' plan to have Negi make a pactio with Kendra thanks to Haruna leaking the new development to him. So he figured he might as well come out with everything he knew about the immortal and give them an early warning of what dangers may come from accepting Kendra into the group.

"Anima was at first just a fun myth that was passed down from generation to generation; including stories of how he defeated all these powerful and dangerous opponents. But seeing how Anima is real and living in Kendra-Ane-San's head, he's no myth. So I'm guessing that those opponents of his aren't unreal either."

"But you said they were defeated." Kazumi interjected as she provided detectable emphasis on the word defeated.

"If they're defeated, then why would we have to worry about Anima's opponents?"

"Anima isn't the only one that's an immortal soul Ane-San…" The girls' expressions visibly dimmed with distress in under a second as their brains immediately processed what the small rodent was insinuating.

"Y-you don't mean th-that one of Anima's opponents are…i-immortal too, d-do you Chamo?" Nodoka questioned feebly; praying that the magical rodent would deny her assumption. The shy student was proven correct though when they witnessed Chamo nod his head.

"Yep, just one though. He's a pretty sick and twisted mage too; had the ability to manipulate fire and something to do with a person's mind. I think it was misery or something…His name's Igneus Misericordia and was Anima's most difficult threat; he came close to defeating Anima too. Anima got lucky though and killed the lunatic, but then…"

"He became an immortal too…" Kazumi concluded as she rubbed her right temple. This situation was becoming more and more serious as the minutes passed. What started out as an intense need to feed her paparazzi instincts soon led to a possibly alarming threat towards Ala-Alba; actually, to innocent people as well.

"This doesn't make sense though, how can Anima and Igneus be immortals in the first place? I mean, you even said that Anima was a normal man." Sayo questioned curiously. This caused Chamo to scratch his tiny head vehemently; trying to search deep into his vast mage history knowledge. He couldn't find an answer however and was feeling just as confused about it as the girls were.

That's when Chamo decided to shift his eyes in the ghostly girl's direction and immediately felt a reasonable theory dawn on him.

"Well Ane-San, look at you. You have unfinished business right? And you're still here. Anima did try to steal of bunch of evil souls to compensate for killing his family, but then he still died with unfinished business. So maybe Igneus had some unfinished business too…and it's not that hard to guess what it was. He probably wants revenge."

"Wait, wait; so let me get this straight." Kazumi stated with both of her hands raised.

"Igneus is an immortal and Anima's most dangerous opponent. Anima is living inside of Kendra-San...and Igneus wants revenge against Anima…s-so when you said that this Anima dude would be troubling, you meant that-"

"Igneus could come to Mahora and start a whole lot of trouble." Yue finished for the shocked news reporter as she tiredly fell back further into her chair and looked to the highly elevated library ceiling with a long sigh. A tense moment of wordless brooding and reeling devastation settled over them; slowly yet painfully absorbing in the worrisome possibility of being attacked by an all-powerful immortal being.

"…we've gotta tell the others about this…" Kazumi muttered as she shifted her gaze towards Chamo.

"I know this was supposed to be a secret between Kendra-San, Zazie-San, Evangeline-San and other people…but this is just too much." Everyone else nodded in agreement; it was going to be a long story to explain to Ala-Alba, but the effort would definitely be worth it…

* * *

><p>TROT! TROT! TROT!<p>

Severed veins and streams of crimson flapped through the rushing wind; struggling to reconnect itself with the beast's mangled throat.

TROT! TROT! TROT!

Its head was just barely connected to the rest of the bruised and beaten demonic body. The large cranium was leisurely advancing closer to the neck as the vertebrates began to reunite with a resounding click. The green demon released a low growl as the recently dead and bloody skin of its head and neck overlapped. The jade beast continued to gallop at top speed; running back to its master to inform him of the shocking news.

The beast was lucky that it never had the chance to consume Zazie and then even managed escape when the girls weren't looking. Although changes in mood could not be detected from the demon's expression; it was feeling extremely anxious.

If the monstrosity succeeded in telling its master that it knew where the long lost girl was; the demon was sure that its master would give it an award. The feral and naïve beast nearly doubled its speed to reach its destination even faster.

TROT, TROT, TRO-

The demon suddenly halted in its advancement and hunched down defensively. Its keen hearing picked up on a clacking sound just a moment ago. An ear piercing bang soon followed and the demon howled in pain; a scathing sensation erupting in its shoulder.

"Grrraughhh!" The demon growled in agony as its racing pulse seemed to throb painfully throughout every single inch of its canine structured body. Protruding from the suffering beast's wound was a copper bullet attached to the four inch long needle embedded into its flesh. The jade monstrosity's black beady eyes looked around frantically as the corners of its vision became slightly obstructed with darkness. A sense of paralysis overwhelmed the demon's buckling legs and fell to the forest ground with a deep groan.

"The poison in that dart can kill you in a matter of a few hours." A voice stated blandly. Right before the struggling demon's eyes, a persona dropped from her hidden position in the trees and landed silently. Mana strolled over to the frozen demon's figure and slowly pulled out the dart; prolonging the beast's growl of pain as long as possible.

"Let's see here." The tan gunslinger held up the dart in front of her, droplets of yellow toxin trickling from the needle tip.

"I'm guessing about half of the poison is in your body. So instead of dying in a few hours…" Mana bent down and stared emotionlessly into the emerald beast's eyes; easily detecting the glint of hatred in those beady pupils.

"…I'd say you have twenty-four hours…thirty-six tops. I'd prefer it this way anyways." Mana then slowly brought her face dangerously close to the demon's own; its hot breath puffing across her face and gently fluttering her jet black strands of hair.

"I saw what you did to Zazie-San and Kendra-San. So I won't give you the privilege of dying quickly…you'll suffer until the very end." It was true. Mana had seen what happened ever since Kendra released her immortal powers and just as she was about to intervene, Setsuna and Kaede appeared. Her two guardian partners seemed to be handling the situation good enough, so Mana decided that she wasn't needed. At least that was what she thought until she witnessed the demon's supposedly dead body move on its own and took its disconnected head along with it. Since the girls were too late to notice the demon's escape, that's when Mana finally decided to exterminate the beast herself and dish out her own personal punishment.

"You should regain some feelings in your legs after a few minutes…but that poison will kill you." Mana stood up and stretched her arms casually; ignoring the sounds of frustrated thrashing from the monster's useless attempts to move its limbs.

"Off to Evangeline-San's cabin then." Mana muttered while walking at a calm pace; leaving the soon to be deceased demon alone to writhe in its spot for a few more minutes…

* * *

><p>"…I don' get it Anima…" Kendra muttered in confusion. The magic sensor was still seated next to the green haired immortal, watching his precious memories in the endless white void.<p>

Anima turned his gaze to Kendra and asked lowly.

"_**What is it that thy does not understand?"**_ Anima's gaze narrowed slightly in suspicion as he heard the magic sensor's voice slightly crack with an unknown emotion before chuckling quietly.

"I just don' get…how such a cute kid could come from an annoyin' Casanova like you…it's freakin' impossible." Anima's glaring relaxed immediately and was replaced with a smug grin.

"_**How can such a beautiful creation not take after me?" **_His haughty statement managed to force a few chuckles out of Kendra; rubbing the back of her neck before directing her vision back up at the memories.

"Bring down da ego a bit Animalia."

"_**My name is Anima…"**_ Anima grumbled in which Kendra only cracked a small smile in response; her eyes never leaving the recollections. At the moment, an expanded view of Anima, Gemma, and his wife Stella are walking their way to the floral shop; intent on buying Gemma that special flower, a Sacred Green Thorn Apple.

Riding on past Anima's broad shoulders was his daughter; her shimmering emerald eyes scanning around in excitement at the market's bustling and loud activities. The family of three made the occasional stop of examining a stand in which the owner drew them into with his loud yet coaxing tone or even just to buy a toy for Gemma. The parents got an entertaining kick out of how Gemma would try to convince both them and herself that she didn't need any more toys than necessary; only to seemingly give in to her parents' reassurance and accept the toys gratefully.

Kendra laughed softly at the child's innocent antics and decided to ignore the small smile spreading across Anima's face; the magic sensor would allow him his peace this time and save the teasing for later. Besides, it was an unusual yet warming sight that Kendra welcomed openly.

Creaks resounded loudly as past Anima pushed open the wooden gates of the floral shop for his family to enter before him. Quicker than a bullet could be loaded, Gemma eagerly sped off to the many shelves withholding a vast array and species of flowers; astutely searching for a Sacred Green Thorn Apple. Anima and Stella giggled at their daughter's hyperactive behavior and calmly strolled behind the child; quietly scanning the shop as well. Suddenly, Anima's wife leaned in close to him and whispered.

"_Did thy give Gemma a lot of candy again?" _

"…_I do not know what thy speaks of…"_ Past Anima responded nervously as Kendra succumbed to another giggle; the magic sensor felt relieved to know that she wasn't alone when it came to being afraid of upsetting her lover in anyway and occasionally lying to save herself. Current Anima just coughed into his fist; a barely visible pink hue on his pale cheeks.

"_Mommy! Daddy! Look, I found it!"_ Gemma proclaimed loudly while eagerly pointing at something on a shelf. Past Anima inwardly sighed in relief as his wife's attention was directed away from interrogating him and calmly strolled over to the little girl.

"_Oh, look, thy has found it!"_ Stella realized proudly as she smiled warmly at her daughter. Gemma delivered a bubbly smile of her own as Anima also stared in satisfaction at the flower while unconsciously ruffling the blonde child's hair affectionately. Something in the back of Kendra's mind ticked subtly when she witnessed the familiar gesture. _'I do dat too…'_ The magic sensor realized.

"_Very keen eyes thy has Gemma." _Past Anima praised happily as he took the flower from the shelf and headed towards the front counter.

"Anima…" Kendra started carefully as her hazel eyes sent a calculating gaze in the immortal's direction.

"_**Why does thy send me such a pondering look?"**_ The emerald eyed Casanova replied in slight miff; thrown off from his host's sudden studying features.

"…when ya ruffled Gemma's hair just now…do ya do dat a lot?" Everything in the previously suspicious immortal's mind immediately clicked and fully foresaw where Kendra was heading with her questioning. He sighed slowly and stared at the happy memory for a moment longer before turning back to face Kendra.

"_**What thy suspects is true. Yes, I did that many times…as it was one of my very few forms of showing affection…"**_

"Then is it just a coincidence? I mean, I do da same thing since it's da easiest way for me to show affection but…do ya have anythin' to do wit dat?" Finally, Anima shifted his seating position and faced Kendra fully; the transfer student doing the same with her curious eyes never leaving Anima.

"_**My hosts in the past….they have always become influenced under me. Not just with controlling thy psyche…but also with other things. My temper…my pride…my impatience; but I believe that thy is the first one to ever possess my…"**_ Anima trailed off as he stared down thoughtfully at his long pale fingers.

"…special show of affection?" Kendra finished somewhat unsurely as the other half of her mind began to connect the dots. An immense amount of minor enigmas were instantly becoming solved. Kendra was wondering why she had such a short temper ever since Anima appeared in her life or what it was about ruffling a person's head that seemed so fitting to her. Once again, it was Anima; it was always Anima. The discovery made the magic sensor wonder if there was anything else the forest haired soul robber was hiding from her.

"_**Yes, I am keeping knowledge from thy."**_ Kendra's hazel orbs abruptly glanced up at the immortal being with a slightly baffled expression.

"…how did-"

"_**I live inside thy's head, remember? I know all thy's thoughts."**_ Anima interrupted indifferently as obvious recognition slowly ebbed its way onto the magic sensor's face.

"Ah…makes sense I guess." Once again, Kendra stared at the immortal in confusion as Anima scoffed in amusement.

"_**Thy guess? It's a rudimentary explanation that even a peasant with intellect as low as thy's should be able to comprehend."**_ A wide and sarcastic smile spread across Kendra's features as a vein slowly pulsed on her forehead.

"Ah, bein' quite da asshole now aren't ya?"

"_**Watch thy's-"**_

"Dirty tongue…I know Anima, I know." Kendra responded in a feigned tired tone while flashing an impish grin at the scowling soul thief. Anima turned away from Kendra with a huff and once again began to watch the memory. The magic sensor did the same; a victorious grin plastered across her cheeks all the while.

Past Anima and his family were now heading back to their home with the Sacred Green Thorn Apple encompassed quite expertly in a beautiful and white stained glass vase. Kendra's grin was reduced to a pleasant smile as she propped her chin on her hand and watched almost dreamily at the touching sight; feeling a bit confused at the same time. _'Wasn' I supposed to see da bad memories? Why's Anima showin' me dis?'_

The dark skin girl's attention was immediately brought back to the memory as the calming noise of the antediluvian society was broken by the repetitive clacking of galloping horses; five horses. Seated upon four of the horses' backs were men dressed in armor of oblique colors; their facial features callous and arrogant as they stared down the market commoners. Riding on top of the last horse was another man in much thicker black armor; adorning a similarly manufactured metal mask with the barred front flipped open to reveal a pair of cold cobalt eyes. A noticeable scar was forever scathed over his right eye extending from just above his jaw to his dark gray hairline.

"Anima…what's goin' on?" Kendra asked cautiously as she witnessed the immortal focus his icy glare on the blue eyed man.

"_**As thy wondered just now…the forsaken memories begin."**_ Kendra was not very penchant of the grave tone suddenly overtaking Anima's voice and immediately looked upon the memory with worry.

The crowd of market commoners immediately scurried and pulled apart; trying to give the pack of armored horse riders as much space as possible with fear stricken across their features. Past Anima automatically did the same as he handed the vase to his wife and pushed her along with his daughter behind him. He stared on warily as the five men hopped off of their horses and commandingly stomped over to a chain of jewelry stands.

"_The leader of this establishment, come forth now and pay what thy owes us!"_ For a few moments, no movements were made and hushed whispers scattered around the horsemen frantically. Just as the leader with azure eyes reached to his right hip and sternly gripped the hilt of his sword, a robust man with short brown hair and fearful cappuccino orbs quickly snaked his way through the crowd. He promptly stood in front of the dark armored horsemen and bowed his head lowly; bending at perfect ninety degree angle despite his chubby and inflexible apparel.

"_I-I-I am these stands' manager…s-sir. I-I'm deeply sorry but…we do not h-have enough money to g-give."_ The trembling jewelry owner muttered while tightly shutting his eyes in preparation to be struck with metal. The frightened commoner did not hear the downward slashing of the horsemen's sword over the crowd's deathly silence. He risked opening his eyes and slowly glancing up without standing from his bow. The manager neither felt relieved nor terrified; the sight made him feel apprehensive.

The leader had his sword fully unsheathed and was twirling it leisurely in both of his gloved hands; his face shadowed and examining the shining iron ore material of the blade.

"…_Is that…thy's final answer?"_ The armored money collector asked mysteriously. The petrified manager gulped slowly and fully stood from his bow; he knew what the armored leader wanted to hear, but lying would only anger the arcane and dangerous man in front of him. Past Anima watched on anxiously; his fingers twitching ever so slightly.

Kendra heard Anima sigh irritably next to her and watched as he tiredly rubbed his hand along his face before staring down in shame.

"…_**I was such a fool…"**_ The magic sensor quickly looked back at the memory; easily predicting what was about to happen after hearing the immortal's statement.

The jewelry manager quivered before finally answering with a stutter.

"…_.i-it is…s-s-sir…"_ Cobalt eyes shimmered momentarily with an unknown emotion before narrowing threateningly. The dark horsemen looked over his shoulder at his four subordinates and commanded.

"_Tear everything apart and search for as much money as thy can find!"_ The men responded with a haughty laugh and then dashed for the stands; wrecking and destroying all of the manager's precious merchandise. Frantically looking back and forth between the chaos ensuing and the sinisterly grinning leader horsemen; the rotund owner began to feel panic rapidly seep into him. He fell to his knees and pressed his forehead to the dirt ground; bowing as low as possible.

"_P-please! Spare my shop! It's all I have left! I promise I'll give thy the money soon! Please! I'll do-"_

"_Halt thy's tongue heathen!"_ The horsemen shouted heatedly as he kicked the begging owner onto his back and planted his foot harshly onto his chest. The jewelry owner coughed as his sternum compressed under the rough impact and clutched weakly at the horsemen's steel bottomed boots. The horsemen smiled wickedly as the man beneath him thrashed uselessly while shouting, no, pleading desperately for the other men to cease their malevolent actions. Sounds of jewelry being smashed under heavy boots and wood snapping from the impact of swinging swords continued to assault the hopeless man's ears relentlessly. With a defeated groan, the manager laid his head fully onto the ground and shut his eyes; trying to block out the thoughts of his life business ending and receding as far away into his mind as possible.

"_Such a pathetic parasite thy is…"_ The leader horsemen spat venomously as he chuckled lowly at the miserable man.

"_Graveling in the dirt…quite a disgusting sight for eyes-" _Something in the corner of his dark blue eyes spotted rapid movement and on instinct the horsemen turned his full gaze in that direction. Suddenly, a strong rush of golden energy collided into him from the other side; effectively knocking the armored horsemen off the owner and landing on his back. The owner wasted no time to scurry away and into safety; stopping momentarily to mourn at the site of his ruined stands along the way.

"…_Grrrrgh…."_ The horsemen grunted as he slowly sat up while hissing lowly in pain; his icy orbs narrowing even more at the green haired man standing a few feet away with his arms raised in front of him and open palms facing upwards.

"…_d-daddy?"_ Gemma whispered as Stella protectively brought the worried girl closer to her while holding the vase in her other arm. The four subordinates quickly abandoned the stands and rushed to assist their fallen leader. The scarred azure eyed man angrily shoved them off though and glared viscously at past Anima. The emerald eyed man held his stance firmly; watching the armored man's movements very closely as he slowly raised his sword and pointed it at Anima.

"_Thy has a lot of guts…"_ He started with a chuckle yet scowling towards Anima at the same time; emitting an anonymous killing aura about him. Reluctance began to knock in the back of Anima's head as that killing intent succeeding in intimidating him a little; Anima still held his ground however.

"_So much guts…"_ The sword wielder crouched into an offensive stance and growled sinisterly.

"_That I want to spill it all on the ground!"_ A raging dark purple aura began to surge around the dark horsemen's sword before slowly enveloping the rest of his body along with it. Past Anima cursed under his breath; he had hoped that this man wasn't a mage as well and that maybe taking care of this situation wouldn't have been too troublesome. Fate seemed to be playing against his favor.

With a sudden burst of speed that Anima didn't expect, the swordsman quickly appeared in front of Anima and brought down his blade. Anima immediately crossed his arms over his head and a golden shield of energy blocked the strike.

The horsemen sucked his teeth in annoyance and quickly made for a sweep kick at Anima's legs. The past immortal's legs were taken out from under him but then quickly held out his palms to the ground. A flare of gold energy emitted from his hands and pushed against the ground to vault him back onto his feet; he just barely avoided another downward slash from the horsemen.

He couldn't avoid the whip of purple energy that shot from the swordsman's shoulder though and pounded into Anima's chest. Only a cough escaped the shocked man before his body was sent flying into another stand.

Anima groaned as he slowly sat up with splinters piercing his back and arms. Multiple violet arms suddenly grabbed Anima's body and yanked him from the stand; his pinned form hovering in front of the armored horsemen. Those dark mauve arms withholding Anima was protruding from the swordsman's aura; their energy wavelengths whirling aggressively around the scarred man.

"_Thy should have stayed out of this."_ The illuminated horsemen taunted as he slowly raised his arms and smiled wickedly.

"_But thy has to die now. Ego Dico Super Atrum Miles Militis…"_ He began to chant the spell for his finishing move as the purple aura began to overtake Anima's entire body. The past immortal tried to thrash his away out of the hold, but the violet arms only continued to envelope him.

"_Peractio Permoveo…MUCRO NEX COGO!"_ Thin streams of purple energy slowly slithered from the casket of dark aura containing Anima and morphed into numerous floating swords; the blades pointing at Anima's trapped form. The swords then impaled the violet coffin in one swift movement.

"_Anima/Daddy!"_ Stella and Gemma yelled as the commoners held the females back to prevent them from sharing the same fate as Anima. Heavy tears streamed down Gemma's cheeks as she called out to her seemingly dead father; the desperate cries helping to widen the horsemen's smile.

"_Let this be a lesson to all!"_ The cobalt eyed man yelled to the surrounding citizens while pointing at the floating purple pod.

"_If any lowlife is stupid enough to defy me, then thy's fates will be the same! Thy will have the money when I come to collect it-"_ A sudden wave of yellow power exploded from the sac and threw everyone off their feet.

"_Gha!"_ The swordsman yelled as he crashed into a wall and fell to the ground in a coughing fit; feeling the wind getting knocked out of him. Before he had time to recuperate, gold energy emerged from below and raised the dark swordsman in the air. He looked down to see Anima, looking completely unharmed from his finishing move, and growled angrily at the green haired male.

"_Release me thy pest!"_ Anima stared indifferently and then slowly raised his hand above his head.

"_Ego Dico Super Regimen Polus Ut Commodo Mihi Vox…"_ The emerald eyed man then raised his other hand.

"SEPULCHRUM TRAHO!" Past Anima brought down both arms with a yell and the armored swordsman came crashing down in break neck speed. The gravity around the horsemen seemed to immediately increase ten-fold after the fall and formed a crater around his body.

A moment of silence passed until a loud crack emitted from the motionless dark swordsman. The back of his steel helmet gradually crumbled and exposed the azure eyed man's head; thin trails of crimson streaming down the back of his neck. The four subordinate horsemen were about to aid their leader but stopped short as he suddenly jerked and sluggishly raised his head. The dark knight huffed vigorously as sweat and blood dripped down his damaged face.

Surprisingly, he then began to laugh lowly; earning a confused glare from Anima and a fearful gaze from the commoners.

"_Why does thy laugh?"_ Past Anima asked warily. A few more coughs escaped the horsemen's throat before he smiled sinisterly and directed his gaze behind Anima.

"_Because…thy is too late."_ The jade haired mage scrunched up his eyebrows before rapid realization seeped onto his panicking features. His wide emerald eyes turned around to see one more violet sword.

It was hovering behind an innocent person.

That innocent person was an unsuspecting Gemma.

Anima's pulse raced as he quickly ran to his wife and daughter while trying to summon enough energy for a shield; but it was going to be tough since he just performed that heavy attack on the horsemen.

"_Gemma! Move!"_ He shouted desperately as he felt his energy reserves falling short of the amount he needed. Gemma and Stella turned around and felt their entire being swell with fright upon seeing the mauve floating sword.

It pained every single neuron cell in his brain to admit, but he knew that he wouldn't reach his loved ones in time and his energy was too low to assist him. Frustration racked his form even more as Stella and Gemma were unable to move in time and screamed as the sword bolted straight for the blonde little girl.

"_GEMMA!" _Anima yelled at the top of his lungs while reaching out for his daughter.

Metal ramming through flesh rung loudly in the atmosphere and all eyes were fixated on the young girl…shielded by the manager.

The robust man had both of his hands on the back of his head and was standing over Gemma; flashing a pained yet reassuring smile to her. A small pool of blood was slowly growing at his feet from the crimson fluid gushing around the sword protruding out of his chest. Gemma stared up at the jewelry owner with shocked and tearful eyes. All signs of pain momentarily vanished from the manager's face and smiled warmly.

"_Do not cry…young child…"_ He fell to his knees as a surmountable amount of luster disappeared from his auburn pupils; the sword within him vanishing into thin cloud of purple before being carried off with the wind. Anima quickly ran forward and caught the plump man before he hit the ground and stared furiously at his dying form.

"_Keep conscious! Thy must keep conscious, please!"_ Anima muttered while gently shaking the man in his arms. Gurgling laughter softly fled from his parted bloody lips and succeeded in solidifying past Anima's guilt.

"_What for…my merchandise…my life's work…is gone…I have no…n-no reason to live now…"_

"_Not true! Thy's love ones, w-what about them!"_ The dying savior weakly shook his head however and quietly chuckled once again.

"_No…no love ones…b-but…thy's child is…an important life…it must be…b-be preserved…"_ Anima's lips tightened into a thin line; unable to say anything else as the courageous man's eyelids calmly closed for one last time. All signs of breathing stopped and his skin was slowly dropping in temperature; he was dead.

"_I am…forever grateful thy kind brethren."_ The emerald eyed mage mumbled dejectedly as he laid the body onto the dirt ground and sighed deeply.

"_Such a sad scene; too bad I forgot to mourn."_ The armored swordsman, with the help of his subordinates, was leaning against an unharmed stand and chuckling darkly. Anima kept his gaze locked onto the deceased stand owner; his face shadowed and his fingers flexing ever so slowly.

"_Such an idiotic move on his part! What did thy think? That thy would die a hero?! Thy only died a careless and simple minded lowlife! A worthless comm-"_

"_ENOUGH!"_ Anima shrieked raucously as he swung his arm upward and a humungous wave of neon yellow energy rushed towards the group of horsemen. Cobalt eyes widened as a rapidly growing golden reflection enveloped the hue of his pupils before the attack made stunning impact.

WHOOSH!

Only scattered armor and charred bodies were left in the after math of past Anima's emotionally fueled assault. With his arm finally dropping back to his side and panting heavily; the jade haired mage collapsed.

"_Daddy!" _Gemma called as she and Stella urgently ran to his aid and held him up under each individual shoulder. Anima groaned as his head hung tiredly; his entire body feeling heavier than lead.

"_I'm fine…just…l-low…low energy…"_ Stella nodded in understanding and carefully raised Anima to his feet; Gemma holding her father's midsection cautiously.

The commoners watched the family leave worriedly; giving their support and eclectic grateful praise as they passed by. When the three passed another tall and lanky commoner wearing a dark red shirt and auburn pants, he politely handed Stella the white vase containing the Sacred Green Thorn Apple. Stella gave a muttered thanks and took the flower appreciatively before continuing to their home; accompanied by silence.

"…_Thy shouldn't feel guilty…"_ Stella finally admitted after receiving no eye contact or response from her husband. Anima remained quiet for a bit longer until he sighed deeply and answered depressingly.

"_I am weak."_

"_Thy is not weak."_ Stella interjected promptly as she shot Anima a stern look.

"_Yeah! Daddy is strong! Super strong!"_ Gemma added enthusiastically; surprisingly feeling bubbly as usual despite witnessing a few deaths not too long ago. Anima looked down at Gemma.

"_Thy was almost hurt, and then…an innocent man was killed in the process. I was too weak to protect thy two…"_ The despondent mage hung his head in shame as his wife and daughter stared at his sympathetically.

"_Anima…"_ Stella whispered.

"_Daddy, thy is strong…"_ Gemma nuzzled her head softly against Anima's body.

"_Very strong…"_ Anima sighed once again while ruffling Gemma's head and smiled affectionately.

"_Thy two truly are precious to me; my beautiful daughter…and my stunning wife."_ He delivered a quick peck to Stella's check in which the blonde beauty smiled cheekily in response. As the sun was setting behind them; the orange and yellow beams engulfed the three forms and made the porcelain closed leaves of the Sacred Green Thorn Apple glimmer mystically.

"…" Kendra was silent as she watched the current memory coming to an end.

_**"…"**_ The jade soul thief remained silent as well; intently watching for a reaction or response out of the magic sensor.

"…Ya stallin'…" The transfer student finally muttered as her determined hazel eyes burrowed into the Casanova's form.

"Show me what I came here for Anima…I can handle it, I promise-"

"_**I know…"**_ Anima interrupted gloomily as his emerald eyes locked onto her hazel orbs.

"_**I know that thy can handle it…I just, wanted to show thy how much Gemma and Stella meant to me…how wonderful they were…how much I yearned to protect them…but in the end, killed them…"**_ Kendra scooted closer to Anima and examined him carefully before slowly raising her hand towards him. Her dark toned hand halted with reluctance halfway and scanned his features for resistance. When the magic sensor found nothing but despair, she fully yet gently placed her hand on his gold armored shoulder and gave a comforting squeeze.

"I know it now…I know how much ya care for them…how much ya loved them. I a'ways knew dat…ya could hold so much love, it just took a long time to reveal it 'n I fully understand why…Anima…" Anima, responding to the call of his name, slowly raised his gaze to Kendra.

"…show me da day ya killed Gemma and Stella. I want to see, know, 'n feel ya pain…" The immortal's emerald pupils trembled with repressed fear; his mind raging with the hesitance of whether or not to trust this girl with his most sacred and painful secret. Could he live through showing those memories again is what he wondered fearfully. Would witnessing the devastating recollections put him even farther under his sea of despair and self-blame? Will Kendra finally be the one to help him or will she avoid him; afraid of the murderous monstrosity that he believed he was. His rambling thoughts became unclogged though as he felt another comforting grip on his other shoulder.

Kendra was now gripping both of Anima's shoulders and was smiling as warmly and comfortingly as possibly for him.

"I won't think you're a murderous monster Anima. I know you want help…and just like I promised, I will help you."

"…_**Can thy read my thoughts as well?"**_ Anima wondered in slight awe. Kendra chuckled before responding cordially.

"No…I just know you Anima. Now, show me the memories." Anima simply nodded once before the white void became the endless black sea once again in under a second; surprising the magic sensor a bit.

"Anima? Why're we in here again?" Kendra shifted her gaze around in confusion but then looked back in front to see that Anima's form was gradually being engulfed with darkness.

"_**Thy must experience this alone…"**_ His voice boomed and echoed throughout the endless atmosphere and sent Kendra's spine quivering with apprehension.

"W-wait, alone? Anima, we're ya goin'?!" The feeling of his broad shoulders encased in her hands was no longer there as they were obscured by the darkness as well.

"_**Feel my true pain child…watch…"**_ Despite the panic pounding through Kendra's veins, she forced herself to calm down as the immortal's persona completely vanished; she was now alone. The dark skin girl took multiple deep breaths as she waited for the dreaded memories to appear.

"Breathe Kendra…dis is it…ya finally gonna see it…just breathe-" A blinding light brought Kendra out of her calming mantra and on instinct brought up her hand to cover her currently light sensitive eyes. As her hazel orbs slowly adapted to the sudden brightness, she dropped her hand and realized what had appeared. It was another memorie, no, the memorie; depicting a small house sitting in the middle of a large grass field.

"Here it is…" Kendra muttered as she sat forward cross legged and prepared herself for the worse…

* * *

><p>KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!<p>

"Who's knocking on my fucking door?!" Evangeline complained loudly as she swung open her door; still in her disheveled apparel from brooding over the Anima news.

It seems that the chibi vampire couldn't get a break as she witnessed Kendra being carried bridal style in Zazie's arms with Setsuna, Konoka, and Kaede standing behind her.

"Oh great" The blonde vampire muttered as she rubbed her tired pale cheek in frustration.

"Look, I'm not in the mood to deal with your stupid problem today! And you're not bringing that pain in the ass into my cabin again!"

"B-but Evangeline-San! Kendra-San was under Anima's control again!" Setsuna argued urgently as she witnessed the magic sensor twitch slightly in the tan demon's arms.

"She's right Evangeline-San; Kendra-San needs serious attention, de gozaru." Kaede added casually.

"Please Eva-Chan! Kendra-San really needs help!"

"Who are you calling Eva-Chan girl?!" The short vamp questioned angrily before quickly dropping it and grumbling while rubbing her temple.

"Give me one good reason why I should…"

"We already gave you good reasons Evangeline-San!" Setsuna responded, this time anger lacing her tone at the vampire's stubbornness.

"Okay, and I said a good rea-"

"Move" Zazie stated lowly as her narrowed dark brown eyes glared at the chibi blonde.

"E-eh? Wha-"

"I said move!" Zazie repeated viscously as she shoved Evangeline out the way and stormed into the cabin; Evangeline gaping at her as she did so. The small blood sucker's cheeks flared red with anger but before she could yell anything in protest, the others immediately rushed in behind Zazie and closed the door. As Evangeline went over her mind how easily beaten she was on the matter of allowing access to her home, she decided her shut her mouth into a tight line and approached the group with a huff.

"Dammit! I swear you kids stress me out every day! Chachamaru! I need more tea!"

"Yes master" Chachamaru replied blandly from the kitchen.

"Now then, you said the girl went under," Evangeline felt her previous fury and fear arise within her once again as she felt his name roll off her tongue.

"Anima's…control again?" The girls nodded quickly except for Zazie as she stared intensely at Kendra's comatose form on the couch while holding the magic sensor's hand in her own. Evangeline sighed tiredly as she sat on the opposite couch.

"So I'm going to have to stabilize her again."

"Yes, you will. But, I have to tell you ahead of time that Negi-Sensei is coming as well." Setsuna informed in which Evangeline groaned in annoyance to.

"Oh come on! Boyo too? How many people did you invite to my house?! What do you think this is, a god damn get together?!"

"No, but he is performing a pactio with Kendra-San." Zazie's shoulders tensed momentarily before she slowly forced them to relax, _'it's okay…I already agreed to do this…'_ She tried valiantly to compromise with her jealousy as Evangeline raised her eyebrows in slight intrigue.

"Oh? Boyo's finally going to add this one to the bunch huh? That was sooner than I thought." Setsuna nodded again before turning her gaze back to her unconscious new friend.

"So until Negi-Sensei gets here, please, keep her stable Evangeline-San." The four century old vampire rolled her eyes before making her way over to Kendra and kneeling down in front of her; seating herself next to Zazie in the process. As she raised her small pale hands over the magic sensor's head to scan her condition, she leaned over to Zazie and whispered with a chuckle.

"Boyo's going to plant one on your girl, demon…do you think you can handle it?" Zazie stared indifferently at the vampire's taunting smile before murmuring lowly.

"No, I don't think I will…so I'll use you as a punching bag to relieve my anger okay?" Evangeline merley laughed in response; finding her demonic jealous side quite amusing to play with…

* * *

><p>Fun Fact!:<p>

'Ego Dico Super Atrum Miles Militis Peractio Permoveo Mucro Nex Cogo' is Latin for 'I Call Upon The Dark Knight Finishing Move Sword Death Compression'-This would be the spell that the dark horsemen was chanting.

'Ego Dico Super Regimen Polus Ut Commodo Mihi Vox Sepulchrum Traho' is Latin for 'I Call Upon The Guiding Heavens To Lend Me Power Gravity Pull'-This is the spell that past Anima was chanting.

Ohhhh, things are getting interesting~ Hope this chapter was satisfying for you guys to read! I promise that a lot will happen next chapter! So really look forward to it! XD

So until then, please,

CLICK THE BLUE BUTTON. -.-


	26. Chapter 26

Hey guys! XD

Wow, it has been a really long time! Well guys, these are just one of those chapters where I just sat down today, turned on my laptop, and typed the whole other half of this chapter in two hours tops! Don't you just love it when your muse comes back to slap you in the face? :p

Okay, I'm not gonna stall anymore! Here's the new chapter and I hope you enjoy! :)

Disclaimer: I do not own Negima or any of its characters.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 26<strong>

"Err…why are we here again?" Makie asked Yuna nervously as she stared at the surrounding members of Ala-Alba. The girls were called in by Kazumi to meet up outside of dorm building 'C' immediately. It was obvious that a few of the students were not very fond of their after school relaxation time being interrupted on such a short notice. One of those people included Yuna who yawned and rubbed her eyes tiredly before shrugging in response to Makie's question.

"The heck if I know. I was just taking a nap until Sayo-San decided to show up in my room and told me to come out here." The dark haired athlete then narrowed her eyes and puffed out her cheeks into a small pout.

"I was having a pretty good nap too. The one day I don't have basketball practice and I can't get any rest." Makie managed to smile sympathetically for Yuna despite her sweat drop; she could've sworn she only wanted an answer, not a childish complaint.

Fortunately for Makie, her curiosity was soon assuaged as Sayo's ghostly form emerged from the ground. Kazumi, with Chamo resting on her shoulder, Yue, and Nodoka stood next to Sayo and scanned the familiar faces with unexpected seriousness. Yuna however, due to her lingering grogginess, failed to notice this and immediately yelled.

"What did you guys call us out here for?! I was getting my beauty sleep here!"

"Well it didn't work." Chisame growled in the background; also feeling irritated from being pulled away from her precious high tech internet world of 'Chiu-Chiu'. Yuna effortlessly brushed off the harsh insult as if the comment didn't register through her mind and continued to complain loudly.

"Do you know how rare it is to not have afterschool practice?! I want to file a case because this is a crime! It'll be on the Judge Yamisaki show and everything! Plaintiff Yuna versus defendant, you guys-"

"Guinyard Kendra has an immortal inside of her." Kazumi blurted casually. Yuna's motor mouth clamped shut in abrupt shock along with the other girls of Ala-Alba showering their classmate with quizzical stares. Makie tilted her head in mild confusion before slowly raising her hand the same way a student would in class. Kazumi, who unconsciously played along with the academic role play, pointed to the red head gymnastics girl.

"Yes, Makie-San"

"U-um…Kazumi-San…w-what do you mean by an immortal living inside of Guinyard-San?"

"It's exactly as it sounds." Yue answered blandly resulting in even more miff and confusion to sweep over the Mahora students' young features. The short mage in training proceeded to explain further.

"Kendra-San's force field from that day wasn't normal. I'm sure all of us can agree with that." Most of the girls reluctantly nodded their heads as more negative suspicions of Kendra began to flood them.

"Well, that force field of hers along with the rest of her powers has a specific…source; I guess you could call it. That source is the immortal inside of her."

"S-s-so she's possessed?!" Yuna gasped in slight horror as a loud wave of frantic whispers erupted from the group of students. Kazumi, Chamo, and Yue sighed deeply as Sayo sweat dropped; Nodoka attempting yet failing miserably to quiet down her frazzled classmates all the while. However, an unexpected ally came to the four girls' and ermine's rescue as she proclaimed loudly.

"Shut up and smell the gold mine here!" Haruna strutted to the front of the now hushed students and stood proudly next to Nodoka; a somewhat lecherous grin widening across her face.

Yuna scrutinized the perverted artist's smile before asking carefully.

"Err…a gold mine?" As if that question was a spontaneous trigger, Haruna's scheming orbs immediately began to shine vibrantly as her grin exploded to a full-blown maniacal leer.

"Of course! Do you know how much inspiration I have now with the idea of another person living inside of a ripe young woman! Oh, the ideas are flowing like crazy! Just imagine it, an outward steamy scene between two girls, but then a spiritual threesome all togeth-"

"Okay then!" Kazumi interrupted in exasperation as she quickly clasped her hand over Haruna's rambling mouth. The news reporter then snatched her hand away afterward with a disgusted grunt to wave off the mischievous Mangaka's drool. So maybe Haruna wasn't the best rescuer around, but at least she succeeded in ceasing the girls of Ala-Alba from panicking.

"As we were saying…" Kazumi started while still shaking the offending saliva off of her hand.

"Kendra-San isn't possessed or evil or anything like that, it's just that her powers are very different compared to ours. Especially since she was born with it, right Chamo?" The journalist turned her attention to her left shoulder where the albino rodent was seated. The perverted mammal nodded his furry head in a sage-like fashion.

"Kazumi-Ane-San is right; that new Ane-San was born with a lot power, but with also a pretty heavy burden." As if serving to be the group of girls' communicator, Yuna raised an eyebrow skeptically.

"Guinyard-San has burdens? Like what? Because I highly doubt she does." To the surprise of everyone including Chamo; Nodoka, Sayo, Kazumi, Yue, and even Haruna's expressions softened with sympathy as they all mentally recalled the time of learning Kendra's tragic past. After experiencing the post melancholy of revealing Kendra's previous life, the girls have been sincerely wondering to themselves how someone could possibly go through such hardships and still turn out emotionally sane.

"Trust us Yuna-San…they're really bad." Kazumi muttered lowly as Yuna, Makie, and the rest of girls looked upon their saddened classmates with worry. _'W-what am I missing here?'_ Yuna pondered nervously as she witnessed the foreign emotions radiating from her classmates.

The basketball star couldn't recall her classmates ever acting like this before no matter how pressing a matter at hand demanded it. However, when they brought up the subject of Kendra, they're attitude took such a drastic turn that Yuna had to admit that the transfer student must've went through some of life's worst punishments to cause the significant change. With a long and exhausted sigh, Yuna rubbed the back of her head and mumbled guiltily.

"Oh…i-it's that bad huh?"

"That bad Yuna-San" Kazumi responded gravely before taking a deep breath and straightening her jacket. _'Enough beating around the bush…'_ The reporter thought as she presumed the stance of a commanding officer, hands folded behind her back with her posture perfectly erect, and paced back and forth in front of her classmates.

"Listen everyone; I can't tell you much else until we find a more secretive place to talk."

"Okay, so…where to?" Yuna asked curiously as Kazumi abruptly stopped marching and directed her unusually solemn gaze to the sky.

Sayo had to gulp back her appreciative awe as the sunbeams engulfed the new reporter's feminine features and portrayed her as a wise and graceful angel. _'W-wow…'_ The ghostly girl's mind drawled numbly; unable to fully grasp just how astonishing the symbolic image was or why this illusion impacted her thinking efficiency so greatly.

Not only did her natural beauty conquer Sayo's attention, but also the mature expression adorning her best friend's facial appearance; she seemed so strong willed. This was what the undead soul felt so privileged to witness; as the others never knew a side like this could ever be lurking within the hind corners of Kazumi's personality-

"I have no idea actually." Kazumi stated with a sheepish grin as Yuna and Sayo face faulted with a loud bang; well, Yuna did while Sayo just disappeared below the dirt only to rise up once again with an exasperated grin. The rest of the girls merely sweat dropped; at least the Kazumi they knew so well was back.

"…Did you even fully think this through?" Yuna grumbled irritably; her form still sprawled out on the ground. Kazumi rubbed the back of her head with a nervous giggle.

"Err…for the most part I've got the whole speech down but…other than that…"

"That's it!" Yuna objected as she abruptly shot up from the ground and threw up her arms in massive exasperation.

"I'm going back to my dorm to get some slee-"

"Eh? What's everyone doing out here? Is this some class meeting?" Yuna nearly jumped out of her skin as the unknown voice resounded quite closely from behind her. Swiftly turning on her heels and upholding a novice fighting stance that she's seen in a million Kung-Fu movies, Yuna instinctively threatened the mysterious entity.

"Stay back! I know karate chop!"

"…Y-Yuna-San…it's just Iincho…" Makie stated with a sweat drop while inwardly praying for her friend to cease in continually embarrassing herself.

"Yuna-San…" Ayaka started with a sigh before rubbing her forehead tiredly.

"You're a very energetic, humorous, and athletic person…but please, refrain from copying martial arts in such a terribly off manner." The class representative flicked her blonde locks over her shoulder; inconspicuously scanning the group of girls around her for a specific persona. Ayaka didn't see who she was looking for however.

Sporting a small blush of embarrassment, Yuna awkwardly dropped the ridiculous stance.

"My bad Iincho; thought you was someone else just now."

"It's fine" Ayaka replied off-handedly as if her attention was not set on the dark haired athlete. Yuna tilted her head in confusion as she watched the blonde's emerald orbs roam about their surroundings; the action seemed a bit frantic as well but it couldn't be noticed if not studied closely. Too bad Yuna was a curious yet observant girl.

"Looking for something Iincho?"

"E-eh? No, I just um, was heading to the library to work on my science report."

"Err…" Yuna started skeptically as she pointed in the direction behind Ayaka.

"But Library Island is that way. And if you're going this way," The basketball player then proceeded to point towards dorm building 'C'.

"Then you would be heading straight for the dorms…So, mind telling us why you're really out here?" Yuna adorned a mischievous grin and took a small step closer to the slightly flustered blonde. The class representative crossed her arms and huffed while attempting to avoid eye contact with the scheming athlete.

"N-none of your business thank you very much! And besides, I should be the one asking that! What are you all doing outside the dorms?" Ayaka sent questioning stares to her classmates, who all in turn delivered a stare to Kazumi and the rest of the gang.

The news reporter chuckled lightly while scratching the back of her head; there goes yet another factor of the plan that the journalist hadn't thought about.

"Ummm…c-club meeting?" Ayaka raised an eyebrow before repeating incredulously.

"Club meeting…with all of you? Right outside the dorm building?"

"Y-yeah!"

"What club then?" The class representative leaned forward slightly; giving extra effort to scrutinize any subtle hint in the news writer's face to signal that she was lying. An unnoticeably thin sheet of cold sweat beaded down the back of Kazumi's neck. _'Ohhh boy, I'm screwed'_

The only sounds to escape Kazumi was nervous muttering; sputtering about hopelessly and fueling Ayaka's suspicions even more. As the disbelief clearly began to show on the class rep's features, Kazumi inwardly began to pray for Kami to so graciously shine his merciful light down upon her. Just then, Yue sighed dully before stating casually.

"This is the recycling club." Coincidentally enough, a sun beam then aimed at Yue's sizable forehead and gave off the bright reflection of a halo. Kazumi, who witnessed the momentary phenomena, did a secret fist pump while crying waterfalls. _'I knew you were real Kami-Sama!'_

Sayo, being the one of many students that noticed Kazumi's odd behavior, merely sweat dropped while eschewing their vision away from her.

"Ah, the recycling club. I see now." Just like that, Ayaka easily accepted the excuse; at least that's what the girls of Ala-Alba believed.

Being oblivious to the girls' hidden motives wasn't the only reason for Ayaka's effortless approval; she was also too impatient to allow them to divert her attention away from her anxious hunt of a specific individual. _'Where is she?'_ Ayaka knew there was still one last place that she hasn't checked and it was actually the first area that a person would search for; Asuna's dorm room. The blonde wanted to go and check Asuna's dorm room, she really did; but there was a pull of uncertainty in the pit of her stomach dragging down her will power easily. _'I still don't see how I'm the one who should apologize! That monkey is the one who-'_ Kazumi interrupted the class president's train of thought loudly.

"Okay! Nice talking to you Iincho, but we have to get going! Err, recycling duties, and stuff, to handle! Let's go guys." The news reporter stealthily nodded her head in the direction towards the World Tree which was located in the center of the Mahora campus. The girls immediately understood the gesture and turned to Ayaka to give their own individual good byes.

"Later Iincho!" Yuna said with a cheeky salute. Ayaka merely nodded in response to the eclectic farewells, as her thoughts were still roaming her mind for the reason of feeling the need to pardon her previous argument with Asuna. The wealthy blonde couldn't quite place it, but for some odd reason, she couldn't get that last statement Asuna yelled before promptly leaving her mansion out of her head.

**'I can't believe I actually cared about you!' **

_'She's trying to play the guilt card on me!'_ Ayaka accused angrily as the girls of Ala-Alba began to briskly pace to the World Tree; ignoring the blonde's unusually upset features.

Maybe Kami was unsatisfied with how easily the students had escaped Ayaka's interrogation, for they were once again halted in their advancements by a familiar red-head's voice echoing furiously a few meters ahead.

"Who else are you going to kiss huh?! The cafeteria lady?!"

"W-what?! Of course not A-Asuna-San!"

"I DON'T BELIEVE YOU!" Kazumi and Yue face palmed; how come the meeting couldn't run smoothly for at least ten minutes?

WHACK!

"Itai!" That was an obvious sign that Asuna had once again dished out her punishment on the poor child teacher. Negi and the irritable red-head were jogging quickly in the girls' direction and didn't seem to have any intentions of slowing down to greet them. Upon reaching close distance, Ayaka attempted to call out to Asuna but, much to the blonde's chagrin, the two roommates swiftly dashed past her.

"A-Asuna-San?!" With her jaw slacking in disbelief and offense, Ayaka and her classmates intently watched as their forms progressed closer to the forest outside school grounds.

An ingenious-well in her opinion anyways-idea suddenly dawned on the journalist. Using the momentary shock to her advantage, Kazumi leaned over to Yue and whispered.

"Hey, looks like they're heading for the vampire's place."

"Yeah, what about it?" The short mage replied indifferently before her eyes subtly shined with recognition.

"You want to have the conversation there, don't you?" A large smile crept across Kazumi's features as she nodded eagerly. Yue presumably sweat dropped; something deep within her gut told her that Evangeline was going to be royally upset when she learns that all of Ala-Alba was going to show up at her door step. The news reporter didn't seem to notice the juice drinker's reluctance though as she promptly turned to the girls once again and proclaimed optimistically.

"Today we'll be doing some recycling work in the forest! There's lots of litter and stuff in there for us to clean up and sort!" Sighing in aggravation from the confusing turn of events, Yuna delivered a baffled stare in Kazumi's direction.

"What? I thought we were going to the World Tre-"

"There are plenty more trees in the forest!" The pinkish-red head pointed out effortlessly with that mischievous smile never abandoning her. The basketball athlete groaned in defeat before nodding to her classmates and fellow pactio members. She just no longer had the patience to argue due to her lack of 'beauty sleep'; so why even bother?

"To the forest it is…" With a blended resonance of muttered approvals and minor complaints, Ala-Alba then began to follow Negi and Asuna's trail; leaving Ayaka to stand frozen where she was and staring at their retrieving images thoughtfully. A finely manicured finger rose to the wealthy student's chin and tapped it pensively; that was indeed Asuna running past Ayaka just now, and the blonde was searching for the fiery red-head.

"And she so rudely ignored me! I'm going to teach that stupid gorilla some manners!" For now, despite how weakly conceived it was, Ayaka would use that excuse to furtively follow behind Ala-Alba…

* * *

><p>Unexpectedly, the soft wafting of tall grass grazed pleasantly against her calves. Her lungs distended comfortably with every gulp of crisp air and released a content exhale. Hazel orbs reflected a shine of awe as they admired the distant half-setting sun; brush strokes of purple and orange skimming the tips of the extensive grassland.<p>

Kendra couldn't remember ever witnessing a landscape as beautiful as this, as the beauty of nature had eluded many parts of South Carolina over the years of her stay there. The magic sensor cautiously raised her palms to face her and saw them tremble slightly from the overwhelmingly blissful feelings enveloping her. _'W-why do I feel like dis? And…why am I standin'? Wasn't I sittin' not too long ago?'_

The transfer student's wonderings were necessary, as she was indeed sitting cross legged in the endless dark void a mere second ago. Now she was standing in the middle of an enthrallingly gorgeous terrain of healthy green grass, the occasional dandelion peeking out from a specific patch of shrubbery. Kendra had no idea what emotion or force possessed her to feel so much peace, but she couldn't resist allowing a warm grin to grace her dark features.

**_'Thy feels what I felt…'_** Anima's voice echoed overhead, almost as if his being had melded into one with the environment surrounding Kendra; making it impossible to discern which direction his statement had traveled from. However, due to the wonderful relaxation inundating Kendra's form, she held no surprise whatsoever in her tone as she replied curtly.

"I feel…what ya feel? So, do ya feel like dis right now?" The dark skin girl sent her curious gaze to the calm azure sky; almost as if she were conversing with a god lurking above. To think of it technically, Kendra was actually talking to a god; an emotionally broken immortal god.

**_'No, not my current sentiments child; I mean the ones in this recollection.'_**

"I see…'n dis is da day of ya family's death. So, I will also..." Kendra trailed off with a low whisper as she slowly dropped her hands and continued to gaze vacantly to the sky.

"…Just like I asked ya…I'll feel ya pain huh?"

**_'This is what thy requested…'_** Despite the delivery of the unnerving discovery, Kendra smirked somewhat lazily in response.

"I got another request Anima." Even though the magic sensor couldn't see the immortal's face, she knew all too well that a perplexed yet interested expression made home on his visage.

**_'And what would that be child? Thy cannot back out of this if that is what thy wants.'_**

"Of course it ain't, I promised ya I would go through wit dis…I was just wonderin' dat…if ya could tell me everythin' after dis. No more secrets between us Anima. I'm tired of feelin' dat there's always somethin' dat I gotta be wary of every time I talk to ya."

**_'…Thy would not like it child…'_**

"I don' care" She replied immediately; failing to evoke a stern tone as the elation within her had not subsided in the slightest. Fascination momentarily fleeted through Kendra's conscious as she heard a deep sigh fall from above and gently ruffle her persona in the deception of a wind current. Chuckling with a restrained callow emotion, Kendra replied jokingly.

"Da hell? Did ya just breathe ya rank breath on me? Dat ain't cool Anima."

**_'I must have been happier than what I conceived in the past for thy to make such jokes with a vulgar language right now.'_** Anima pointed out in mild exasperation. For whatever unusual reason it was, the armored Casanova could not resist adding softly.

**_'But I theorize…that maybe this is why thy had grown so much on me…thy's comical tendencies are…appealing in a sense.'_**

"Ya ain't so bad ya'self Animalia." Kendra replied with a wide smirk; the pride of finally weeding a genuine compliment out of Anima swelling in her chest. The magic sensor then drew in another deep breath before turning around; expecting her vision to become acquainted with the small home she saw earlier.

Kendra had predicted correctly. Far ahead in the distance her hazel orbs could make out the outline of a simple single floor yet elegantly designed cozy house constructed quite expertly of oak logs. At first she assumed it was a cabin, but then realized that not all of the structure entirely consisted of wood as the bottom of it had multiple rows of stones carved compactly together to support the small household. She then recognized three familiar silhouettes progressing towards the home at a slow pace as two of them were carefully supporting the third.

"Dis is right after ya fought dat knight Anima?"

**_'Yes, but this is not the dreaded day. There is something here that thy must see first.'_**

"Is it important dat I see it?"

**_'Yes, very.'_** Unlike unusual, Kendra did not further quarrel with the immortal. During the last memory she had experienced with him, she off handedly accused him of stalling; but once the armored immortal had so vulnerably explained himself, Kendra regretted not keeping a closer inspection over what she said. So the dark skin girl continued to trot toward Anima's old home, a muddle of anxiety and curiosity creeping into her calm heart as she did so.

The distance of her travel seemed much shorter than what Kendra thought it would be, as it was not much longer until she was standing a few feet away from the front door. Just as her right foot began to rise for the first step, Anima's abrupt command ceased her actions.

**_'Do not enter yet.'_** The magic sensor stared pensively above her and questioned curiously.

"Why? Ya want me to see da memory right?"

**_'Not this way child…'_**

"Not dis…way? Well, how exactly then?" A tranquil breeze brushed against Kendra again.

"Did ya just sigh on me again? A'ight, da first time it was cool. But da second time I ain't gonna be rollin' wit dis-"

**_'Hush child. Brace thy self…'_** Turning around in response as if she were fully facing Anima, Kendra gazed skeptically beyond the enchanting grass field.

"Brace myself? For wha-…" All control, feeling, and strength in Kendra's body had evaporated in under a second and as she attempted yet failed to even blink, she began to slowly descend forward. Panic quickly bubbled within Kendra, not in her body however as all forms of physical sensory had disappeared, and she only had the ability to watch the image of the grass ground zoom in more and more.

Suddenly, an unknown force from behind began to pull at her form violently; succeeding in yanking the breath out of Kendra as well. Instead of voicing her suffocation through a gasp, only silence resounded in her ears and caused the panic to now rage in her soul. She did hear a solid thud however, but felt no impact before or afterwards. Inwardly, Kendra's eyes widened as her sight became obscured with darkness before an unforeseen image appeared.

It was the back of her head.

The prying phenomena was still tugging at her figure, each yank proving more powerful than the last; as if it was desperately trying to tear her away from something. Kendra found out in alarm that instead of the ground growing closer like before, she was gradually arising…and her tangible body lying flat across the ground became farther and farther away from Kendra.

A neon green strand wafted across what the girl assumed to still be her right cheek. Her frantic hazel orbs glanced over and saw flagellated emerald energy wrapping around her; whatever what she was exactly. The magic sensor just wasn't sure what to call herself anymore without the possession of her own body; a soul perhaps, something related to Anima is what she could guess in her hysterical state.

Just then, the grip of the jade force suddenly increased drastically and dragged Kendra away from her body and towards the small home's doorway. Once again the transfer student tried to release a scream but was denied of the action; at that moment, she never thought she'd appreciate the ability to talk so much.

The short period of her entity moving at rapid speeds brought a nauseating feeling into where her stomach should have been; reminding the transfer student of the unnerving truth that she currently was not flesh and blood.

A millisecond flash of the interior of a wooden door engulfed her sight; then the inside of the house in a blended mess of colors and the occasional visible object such as a couch or wooden table.

Then she finally felt something; a piercing feeling that tore apart each and every nanometer of her being. It was the fastest blinding agony that Kendra had ever suffered.

Hollow darkness soon followed…

* * *

><p>Buzzing; all Kendra could hear for the next few moments was a constant buzzing ringing persistently in her ears. Once it vanished, much to the groggy magic sensor's relief, immense tiredness and a stinging sensation within her back and arms familiarized itself with her nerves strongly. Kendra groaned in pain and went to roll her shoulders.<p>

Her body did not obey. Finally taking the initiative of opening her eyes, she expected to see Anima, or Zazie, or anyone. Her pair of eyelids would not follow Kendra's commands however; they're just as rebellious as her shoulders.

"What the…o-oh my god…" Kendra gasped in great reprieve as she once again heard the sweetly missed tone of her voice.

"Thank ya Jesus…thank ya…thank ya…" She muttered her gracious praise over and over again weakly; happy beyond compare to finally be able to speak again.

Her time of relief was lived short however as her eyelids began to slowly peel apart against her own accord. A blinding orange light caused her eyelids to flutter close in response before carefully opening again; cautiously adjusting to the brightness.

A calm and small ball of blaze kindled a short distance in front of her; burning away at the white candle's waxy shaft. Once again, against Kendra's will, her pupils lurked about her surroundings sluggishly and observed a sun-kissed glow strewn up and expanded across a wooden wall.

Her vision then shifted to the right; her head turning somewhat robotically and feeling an unfamiliar feathery graze against the base of her back.

Kendra paid no mind to the unusual sensation however as she saw the shadow of an assumedly seated grown woman; the elongated dark obscurity peeking out from a cracked oak doorway. The magic sensor heard a nearby tired groan that must've belonged to a male.

It sounded close. Way too close for it to be natural.

Kendra attempted to scrunch her eyebrows in confusion but then felt frustration explode within her as they also refused her gesture.

"Da hell is goin' on? I-I can' tell my body to do what I want!" Kendra wanted to grit her teeth in anger, she wished to clench her hands into fists, she longed deeply to just cry and release her stress, but there were invisible shackles limiting the freedom of her bodily manners. That was when a startling question came to Kendra.

"M-my body…what 'bout my body? Am I in it?" Once again Kendra was under the control of her own vision as they looked down at a hand pressed firmly against the arm of a couch; the place Kendra guessed that she had been lying on.

The magic sensor had then abruptly admitted that her theory was not fully valid.

The undoubtedly pale tone of the large and sturdy hand under her did not belong to Kendra, but would suit better to a grown man. It baffled the transfer student why the hand wasn't vibrating, as she was feeling a level of shock that rivaled with the excruciating pain she experienced before blacking out.

Those pair of eyes showed no sympathy for Kendra as it continued to scan the wooden habitant slowly; the body she was in now standing with an exhausted forward hunch. The skin on Kendra's back and arms were encompassed with a thin sheet of sore and prickling needles; numbness taking too long to settle in for the dark skin girl's taste.

The container that seemed to host Kendra's existence was limping ever so lightly towards the open door while sucking in a quick hiss of soreness with each stumble. The transfer student must have felt that same pain, as her breathing patterns were mimicking the man's own almost flawlessly.

Why did it seem like she was walking as well when this form clearly wasn't hers? Why is she even in this unknown individual's body in the first place? Kendra had so many questions being left unanswered, and it irked her craving for the information greatly.

The foreign hand appeared in Kendra's sight again as it gently opened the door to reveal an adult female seated patiently at a wooden table with her thin fingers unconsciously raking through her blonde tresses. Recognition immediately clicked in the magic sensor's mind.

"…wait…ain't dat-"

_"Stella" _Kendra's inhale became lodged in her throat as she witnessed Stella smile warmly before waltzing to the magic sensor's side. A surprised gasp escaped Kendra as she felt the tender touch of Stella's arm wrapping snuggly around her uncommonly wide and throbbing back.

_"Thy is awake. Come now, let me help thy. Thy is still weak from before remember?"_

_"Y-yes, I am still very weak. I am grateful for thy's assistance…"_

_"Oh come off it Anima. It's the least that I can do for a strong hero such as thy." _Stella smiled that cheeky smile from before, causing suspicions of how this charming woman and Anima were even compatible to kindle in the magic sensor's mind.

Kendra was then startled to find her heart suddenly flooding with an empty emotion resembling deep shame.

_"I have already told thy that I am nor a hero or strong." _Stella firmly pressed her free hand to Anima's chest. Kendra's natural reflex was to jerk away from the unfamiliar touch, but instead found herself simply allowing it; actually wishing for the hand to never move from its spot. Warmth pooled into Kendra from the caring touch; succeeding in frazzling the dark skin girl even more. Not only was she not in control of her body, but her emotions as well.

The dreadful catharsis frightened her, but the challenge of coming to terms with it is what truly rocked the magic sensor to her trapped core. Kendra's breathing became erratic as she sent frenetic nerve pulses in every possible direction; fighting hopelessly to attain some form of command over an appendage. No such thing happened, and the world outside of her unbreakable cocoon continued to progress without her consent.

Every step, every sound, every touch, that returning ticklish graze against her wide middle back, Kendra felt every agonizing bit and piece of it. Being spared a fleeting moment of logical thought, the magic sensor wasted it away on wondering what the source of the sensation on her back exactly was. She thought weakly of Anima's appearance. She recalled his pale, tall, and muscular yet thin form; his smug and handsome face; his long green hair that would reach to his back.

Kendra choked back a sob that burned her trachea ruthlessly. There was no doubt now; she had traded places with Anima. She was held captive within the past immortal's mind.

"L-let me out…p-please Anima…" She waited in painstaking silence; noises of the outside world only registering in Kendra's shared ears as an annoying buzz. The buzz continued. The silence continued. Kendra was alone this time; Anima did not assist her.

In the muffled reverbs tapping relentlessly against Kendra's ear drums, she could faintly detect a sweet and vulnerable tone lurking about it. The magic sensor forced her emotional condition back into a stable state, curious of who the weirdly familiar voice belonged to. Her-currently at the moment-emerald immortal eyes absorbed the cozy abode tiredly.

Multiple toys consisting of dolls, bouncy balls, and children's books dominated more than half of the smooth hardwood den floor. A sense of claustrophobia overcame Kendra as she observed how small the room was. It only served enough room to provide a spot on the right wall for a medium length table and two haphazardly placed chairs. Healthy plant vines crept along the outside of a window sill constructed into the left wall; aging hair-line cracks stretching across the shimmering glass.

Much to Kendra's numb devastation, she felt yet another sensation; one tugging at her right pants leg. Her sight shifted down to see a pair of big, jade irises gazing lovingly back. Kendra scolded herself desperately that it wasn't her own heart twisting awkwardly between two contradictory emotions of love and fear. The undeniable love for Gemma and the lingering fear of nearly losing her to that floating magenta sword; they all belonged to Anima. Not Kendra.

"It's not mine, I don' really feel like dis…" She muttered in rushed breaths.

The magic sensor was lost; should she just follow along with the immortal's whims and impulses? Present Anima did indeed reprimand Kendra to brace herself. This could be just what the transfer student had to prepare for; but it was so unnatural. The experience had nearly traumatized her right on the spot, and the deaths of Stella and Gemma were still to come. Could Kendra truly handle this? Maybe she couldn't, but Kendra was also aware that it did not matter what the answer is; as Anima was definitely seeing to it that the magic sensor went through with her sworn promise.

"…Alright Anima…I'll try for you…"

_"Daddy, are thy's boo-boos any better?"_ The contortion of Kendra's emotions were not needed this time; as she was also experiencing an energy depleting sensation mimicking past Anima's own at the adorableness of Gemma's callow words.

"Dis kid…is too cute to be freakin' real…" Kendra allowed herself to be swayed away with Anima's feelings; surprise coursing through her at how pleasant it actually was.

_"Yes, I am fine now. Thy does not need to worry Gemma."_ The persistent painful throbs in their upper body had contradicted past Anima's reassuring words however. Kendra hissed lowly in pain as she felt Anima professional cloak the discomfort. Gemma released a giggle of reprieve before tackling the immortal's abdomen; hugging his torso snuggly. Electric pain erupted within their torso, and it was all Kendra could do not to shatter her teeth from how hard she was grinding them. And yet through it all, past Anima had not let out the slightest yell of pain; astonishing the agonized magic sensor with his high level of pain tolerance.

"A-Anima's lyin'! He ain't f-fine at all!" It baffled the transfer student how the immortal was withstanding this, but then realized that her wonderings were not of top priority at the moment. She had to experience the pain and memories, and restrain her need to question whatever was going to be thrown at her. Steeling her resolve, Kendra continued to wordlessly absorb her surroundings and decipher the occurring flashback.

Past Anima chuckled as he caressed Gemma's hair with a shaky hand; the only subtle sign of his furtive soreness. From the simple gesture, Gemma beamed in a callow fashion before finally releasing Anima; unintentionally ceasing both the immortal's and Kendra's physical discomfort.

_"Gemma, did thy and momma put away the flower in a good place? Thy does remember what a plant needs yes?"_ Anima questioned lightly as Kendra felt her eyes somewhat squint expectedly down at the blonde child; almost in a calculating way. It could be inferred from Gemma's sudden bouncing figure that eagerness and confidence had overcame her. She answered zealously.

_"Light, water, and soil daddy! All plants need them to grow!"_ The magic sensor's being became inundated with pride for Gemma, and the sensation was even strong enough to temporarily allow the pain to subside. Using that moment of pleasant numbness to his advantage, Kendra's host body bent forward to gently embrace Gemma with one arm; just barely maintaining adequate balance due to the weakness in the forest haired man's legs.

Past Anima then pulled away from his grinning daughter and, with the help of his wife, stood straight once again.

_"Thy is correct, such a smart child we have Stella." _Stella flashed that same cheeky smile.

_"Yes, our child is very bright. Thy's future will prove to be very fruitful Gemma."_ The fair-haired child absorbed the lauding gratefully, fueling the unknown force behind her ever widening smile. Just when it seemed as though her cheeks would surely begin to glow like a light bulb from the building gratification, recognition suddenly fleeted across her young features.

_"Oh! Daddy, let me show thy where the flower is!"_ Kendra felt no resistance whatsoever in the arm that Gemma had so optimistically grabbed onto and tugged excitedly. Stella placed her unoccupied arm around Gemma's fragile shoulders however to momentarily cease her hyper actions.

_"Gemma, thy must not treat daddy's arm so roughly. He is still healing remember?"_ Gemma's reaction made Kendra and Anima want to laugh like there was no tomorrow. She hastily released the immortal and, with a comical panicking expression plastered across her face, began to wave her arms about herself frantically.

_"I'm sorry daddy! Did I hurt thy?!"_ Kendra giggled freely, as she was sure that no one was going to hear or comment on her actions anytime soon; especially since the physical ones were under past Anima's control.

_"Ah, go easy on the child Stella!"_ A confident and raspy voice proclaimed loudly. This feeling was new to Kendra. It made her want to her roll her eyes in a playful manner; was it amusement? The amusement grew when Kendra witnessed Stella shoot a slightly annoyed glare in that voice's direction.

_"I did not ask of thy's opinion thy hoary lunatic."_ Standing within the only door providing access to the dining room was a scraggy elder man with a thin sheet matted silver curls cloaking his jaw and upper lip. His equally as curly dark gray hair hung down just above his brow in the front, and had sloppy layers of it reaching the junction between the back of his head and neck. Light almond eyes twinkled with a mysterious yet trusting craze to it, somehow drawing in Kendra's attention with an unknown deep curiosity. An unfading lop-sided smirk made its home upon his chapped lips and seemed to be mischievously mocking the suddenly irritated blonde beauty. The old man then nonchalantly scratched his practically non-existing belly through his crimson cotton shirt.

_"Ah, hold thy's horses Stella! Such a fiery one thy is, be calm like the forest as thy young ones babble about."_

_"It is calm like the sea."_ She corrected with a light scoff while freeing her still anxious daughter in the process. The magic sensor felt Anima's lips curl up into an entertained smirk before he breathed a fake sigh.

_"It is nice to know that my presence is still noted…"_ Kendra couldn't believe her ears, well actually, Anima's ears. Did the immortal just use comedic sarcasm and succeeded in doing so? The transfer student's surprise heightened when she felt the immortal also deliver a hilariously laid-back grin to his bickering wife and old man. Kendra's shared heart must have been the most content it had ever been, as she couldn't remember the last time she laughed so many times within a ten minute period. Maybe the predicament that she found herself in wasn't as bad as she first thought. Perhaps the magic sensor could at least enjoy this privilege before the deaths occurred.

_"But that truly baffles me!"_ The lanky senior once again piped up in minor confusion.

_"How can it? It is simply simple!"_ Stella countered with a silver of aggravation behind her tone. An awkward and poorly restrained chuckle escaped Anima and unfortunately for him, Stella detected what the meaning behind that chortle was. Pivoting sharply to face him, Stella muttered in a warning tone.

_"Don't thy play games with me. Thy's father is working my patience Anima…"_ With illogical reassurance coursing through Kendra and the immortal, Anima retorted calmly.

_"But thy said simply simple…not exactly thy's best comeback-"_

_"Anima-"_ Stella began to scold heatedly but was interrupted by her nagging annoyance in the form of Anima's father.

_"A forest can be tranquil as well however! Why can it only be the sea?! Thy youngsters need to loosen up and broaden thy's skies!"_

_"Horizons, it's broaden thy's horizons!"_ By this time, Anima had easily slipped from his wife's previously supporting but now dangerous hold, since it was tightening with every rise of her fiery dander, and had silently guided his daughter over to the side.

Gemma traded curious stares between her family members before asking childishly.

_"Daddy, why do mommy and grandpa always yell at each other? Did their toys break?"_

_"Thy's mother and grandfather are just having a friendly chat…a-a very loud one."_ Anima replied sheepishly before a sudden inquiry dawned on him and turned a quizzical stare to his blonde daughter.

_"Wait…toys?"_ Gemma attempted to mimic the gesture of clicking her tongue in disappointment, but instead, it related more to the sound of someone struggling to drink through a clogged straw. Kendra and Anima restrained yet another giggle.

_"Of course! I know that I would be mad if my toy broke. So did grandpa break one of mommy's toys again?"_ Kendra noticed that her shoulders had relaxed in accommodating defeat.

_"Yes, grandpa broke mommy's most favorite and important toy."_ Gemma gasped before dramatically clamping her hands over her mouth. Anima merely followed along with the lighthearted role play and continued in a somewhat gossipy fashion.

_"In fact, it's so important to thy's mother, that she'll get mad at grandpa for anything unless she receives her toy back. She calls it her patience."_ Maybe Anima was enjoying this charade too much, especially since the forest haired mage had a wide and mischievous grin on his handsome features. Gemma simply tilted her head in bewilderment.

_"She named the toy…patience? Wow, that's such a pretty name!"_ Anima smiled affectionately at his daughter's gullible ways, finding the feature about her both adorable and worrisome. He combed his long pale fingers through her flaxen tresses before murmuring with an almost peaceful tone.

_"Gemma, how about thy show me where the flower is now?"_ That vibrant shine of eagerness once again returned to Gemma's emerald irises as she nodded rapidly. Her small hands became reacquainted with Anima's arm, but this time much gentler than before as the young girl did not wish to agitate her father's throbbing wounds.

Luckily for Anima and Gemma, the arguing wife and grandfather had migrated a few feet away from the door leading to the dining room; providing enough space for the father and daughter to sneak pass them.

Kendra found herself standing in the middle of the dining room, the other half of it having to be compromised into a tiny kitchen. So far, the transfer student has been able to infer that Anima was not the wealthiest man. His home was cozy in its own sense, but then again, the depressingly small amount of living space could not be ignored and made Kendra wonder just how much perseverance he had hidden underneath his sleeve in order to be satisfied with his life.

That's when the magic sensor thought of how much of a hypocrite she was.

"What am I sayin'? I've been poor my entire life, 'n yet I'm perfectly content wit how everythin' is now. I got Zazie 'n even some friends. My parents are still alive 'n Deveron still keeps in contact wit me. Yeah, my dad's in a coma 'n my mom ain't exactly happy wit me but…strangely enough, I'm fine…" She trailed off as another question came to her. Apparently, Kendra's tendency to ruffle an individual's hair was an influence from Anima; so what about her ability to keep her head up high even through the toughest of times? What if the armored Casanova was also the reason why Kendra managed to keep both her mental and emotional sanity through all the ruthless bullying? She did not hold the answers, so Kendra decided to add those wonderings to her growing list of topics to later discuss with Anima.

_"It's over there Daddy. Did I pick a good spot?"_

_"That's perfect Gemma."_ Kendra was brought back to reality, an ancient reality, and watched as the sight of a Sacred Green Thorn Apple came closer into her view. The plant was placed within a translucent green vase filled with water and resting on a window sill. The window was raised to allow sun rays to beam down pleasantly on those tubular curved petals. Below the window was a makeshift sink; when in all actuality it was just a large wooden bucket filled with soapy water and dirty dishes.

Kendra's vision then roamed over to a sliding door that lead out to the backyard porch.

_"Gemma, would thy care to sit outside with me?"_ Anima did not even wait for a response and already began casually pacing for door; it was obvious that her daughter would agree to the proposition anyways. Unexpectedly, Gemma did not eagerly follow her father, but instead raised her arms out to him with a light pout adorning her healthily rosy cheeks.

_"I can't go up daddy?"_ Right then and there, Kendra wanted to apologize a thousand times over to Setsuna for teasing the swordswoman whenever she fell so easily under Konoka's cuteness spell. The magic sensor never thought the experience of being impaled by the merciless arrow of adorability would be so powerful; the effort to resist was absolutely futile. Without a word from either Anima or Kendra, the immortal scooped up Gemma into his protective arms and did not pay any heed whatsoever to his protesting soreness.

_"Come now Gemma, I want to…have a talk with thy…"_ The abrupt change in emotion threw off Kendra's sense of emotional balance for a moment, not understanding at all why her feelings had shifted from deep adoration to deep shame. Gemma once again had one of her rare moments of mature insightfulness and frowned displeasingly at her father's downcast appearance.

_"Daddy, thy is strong no matter what thy thinks."_ Pride and further shame sunk into Kendra's communal soul. Anima silently walked out to the back porch, eschewing from her daughter's unnervingly prying jade orbs all the while.

The two personas, one sitting upon the lap of the other, remained silent amidst the constant distant buzzing of cicadas gathering within the nearby forest. Breaking the unusual tension, which was surely only being emitted from Anima himself, the immortal sighed lowly before bravely raising his vision to Gemma's. The magic sensor finally felt an emotion that she was familiar with; it was the same feeling that she would have whenever she thought back to the times when Zazie had ever been injured…or came close to dying.

_"Gemma…th-thy had almost…died today. And it was all because of me."_

_"But d-"_

_"Gemma, please, a-allow me to finish."_ Kendra's eyelids burned with restrained tears and the intensity of it increased when she came to realize the source behind past Anima's stutter. The next thing to burn was Kendra's throat as Anima attempted to swallow back his regret so that it wouldn't show through his tone.

_"Gemma, I don't know what I would've d-done if thy actually died…e-even more so if it was my fault. I should've restrained myself instead of…fighting that knight like a fool."_ Anima then tightly encased one of Gemma's hands with his free one.

_"I promise thy…and thy's mother, I will become stronger. I will do this, and that way, what happened today will never happen ever again…I…I-I never want to feel like that ever again. It felt like my own life, my own passion and reason for living was about to be taken away from me."_ The now slightly trembling immortal raised his daughter's hand and gently brushed his lips across the back of it, only to momentarily press it against his brow afterwards.

_"That is a promise that I thrive to keep."_

_"Daddy…"_ Gemma could not find any more profound words to speak, as her father's vulnerable actions had chased away the rest of her infrequent childish wisdom. So in the end, she simply settled for enveloping Anima in a snug embrace, inwardly praying that the comforting contact would erase his heavy guilt. No such accomplishment was achieved, it did cease the immortal's slight trembling however and Kendra could not be more grateful for it.

This moment seemed so frighteningly surreal to Kendra. The emotional commodity she was sharing with Gemma disturbed the magic sensor since she never thought she'd experience this with anyone other than Zazie. Not even her parents had come so close to her spiritual core like the tattooed demon had. But now, now the innocently wise child of a soul manipulating immortal being had established a soulful bond on a level reciprocal to the one with Zazie.

"A-Anima…you… hold so much love for them…" Kendra muttered in numbed awe.

Taking a few more lengthy moments to enjoy the embrace, Anima exhaled deeply before reluctantly retracting from Gemma and grinned sadly.

_"Let's go back inside Gemma…"_ Anima's daughter nodded wordlessly with her worried emerald never leaving her father's shimmering ones; just barely restraining the tears from spilling over. As Anima arose into a standing position and turned around with Gemma still in his arms envisage had already dominated his features.

Just as he predicted, Stella and his grandfather stood leaning against the wooden kitchen counter, flashing their sympathetic gaze towards Anima through the open sliding door. Anima's father cautiously paced over to the immortal's side and placed a boney hand upon his shoulder.

_"Thy wants to protect thy's family, right? Then…maybe I could help."_ Anima shifted an interested gaze in his father's direction. Stella hastily intervened again though.

_"No, I already know what thy's crazy hair-brain is thinking. Thy is a loon to think that thy's research will work in any way."_

_"But it does work!"_ The elder man yelled back. Stella, with a sigh of frustration, ran her fingers through her blonde locks before tucking them behind her right ear.

_"Listen, thy old coot…"_ The man referred to an old coot mockingly cooed at the blonde's insult.

_"Thy will not perform any of that shady magic on my husband. That form of sorcery is impure and dangerous-"_

_"I'll do it father." _

_"A-Anima!"_ Stella sputtered while staring at her resolved husband in disbelief.

_"Thy can't possibly be serious! Working with thy father's magic is literally like burying thy's own grave! Please, think about this before thy-"_

_"I have thought about this…and if it is a way to become stronger, to protect my family…than I am willing to risk my life in doing so…"_ Stella sighed deeply and cupped her hand over her eyes. Gemma, who became uneasy with the sight of her mother's despondency and hearing Anima's previous declare, worryingly wrapped her arms around the immortal's neck and directed her gaze up at him.

_"Daddy…thy won't die right?"_ He possibly could. Anima surely knew that there was a risk to his life if he went through with his father's offer. Kendra, if she had her own head, wanted to shake it in defiance to what she knew Anima was about to tell Gemma.

"Don' tell her!"

Anima stared deeply into his daughter's eyes.

"Dammit Anima I swear! Don' tell her!"

_"Gemma…I cannot lie to thy…"_ The flicker in Gemma's orbs signaled an oncoming flood of bitter tears.

"Shut up Anima! Look at her! Ya gonna traumatize da kid!"

_"…this is a dangerous action…and I may die from it."_ Gemma's tears began to idly slide down her cheeks, her form jumping arbitrarily with hiccups and weak sobs. Stella, unable to manage another moment of staying within the same room of her surely future deceased husband, swiftly left the kitchen to cry alone. Anima's father simply stared solemnly as Gemma continued to sob erratically, mumbling random promises and proclamations in order to sway her father's irrational decision.

Meanwhile, Kendra, as rare as it was, struggled to find the right combination of words to curse Anima's name.

"Ya fuckin'…stupid, dumb-idiotic…just…just…gah! Why did…why…j-just to be stronger?! Dumb! Ya family already said you're strong!" Despite her heated ranting, anger was not filling Kendra's heart, as it still belonged to Anima. And right at that moment, the only thing the immortal felt was regretful determination, no anger or aggravation that Kendra wished she felt. The contradiction between her words and Anima's emotions made Kendra feel disorientated and confused; unsure of where anything or everything fitted.

Anima's hardened vision then forced Kendra to stare at the Sacred Green Thorn Apple; examining the porcelain leaves stained by the setting sun's illumination. Then, right in that moment, the pure white petals began to slowly flutter open, leaving its delicately fuzzed center vulnerable to the miserable atmosphere…

* * *

><p>"No way! You're not coming into my cabin!"<p>

"Oh come on Eva-Chan! Don't be like that!"

"Who're you calling Eva-Chan?!" Evangeline shouted vehemently from behind her door; currently in a match of strength against the rest of Ala-Alba. Kazumi, withholding front position of the physical battle and being supported by her classmates from behind, gave a heavy shove against the door. Inside the cabin, Asuna and Negi sweat dropped from their positions on the couch. They should've known all too well that the girls would follow them out of curiosity.

"Look Evangeline-San! We know everything about Kendra-San and her secret!"

"So what does that have to do with me?!" The chibi vampire shouted almost desperately; as she could see that her small body was not going to withstand the combined force of more than half of class 3-A for very much longer. Also, the fact that Setsuna, Konoka, Zazie, Asuna, and Negi had tensed greatly when they heard Kazumi's last statement had went effortlessly unnoticed. Kaede simply maintained that same lazy smile, as she was unaware of what exactly that secret was.

Outside the cabin, Sayo, who did not participate in the pushing war, merely floated next to her struggling classmates. Tilting her head to the side, Sayo decided to voice her wonderings in a casual manner.

"Hey guys, just wondering here but…doesn't the door open both ways?"

"…" The girls paused, a mixture of shocked and sheepish expressions adorning their eclectic faces.

"O-oh yeah…" Kazumi stuttered before looking at the door, realizing that Evangeline was still pushing against it. Yuna, who was right behind Kazumi, sent the news reporter a mischievous smile.

"Kazumi-San, guys, shall we do the honors?" Moving as quietly as they could so that Evangeline would not hear; the members of Ala-Alba left Kazumi's side and watched with small smirks. Kazumi, flashing an impish grin of her own, simply stood aside and released the door.

Evangeline, yelping in surprise, came flying forward like a leap frog and landed quite harshly to the ground face first. Several cringes and hissing emitted from the surrounding girls at the sound of impact.

"Err…Evangeline-San…are you okay?" Makie asked carefully as she walked up to the vampire's motionless form. The red-head gymnastics girl then kneeled down to examine Evangeline more closely.

"Um…Evangeli-IYAHHHH!" Makie shouted in terror as Evangeline's pale hand suddenly shot out and tightly gripped her ankle. Her other hand gripped Makie's arm and slowly pulled herself up; the vampire's cobalt eyes filled with fiery rage. Makie cried waterfalls while attempting to pry off Evangeline's hands.

"Gahhh! Evangeline-San! Gomen, gomen, gomen! Kami-Sama I'm too young to die!" Despite Makie's situation, the girls did not intervene…as they were too young to die as well. Evangeline began to bring face dangerously close to Makie's own, her canines elongating in the process.

"You insufferable…pitiful…grating little-"

"The tea is ready master…" Evangeline sharply turned her head in Chachamaru's direction; the female robot standing astutely at the door with a tray of fresh tea in her hands. The blonde vampire opened her mouth to speak, then closed it; loathing at the realization that her temper was receding at the thought of sipping on some calming tea.

"…" Dreadful silence, mostly dreadful because of Makie's lingering terror, filled the air as the chibi vampire stared a moment longer at her robot servant before stating lowly.

"…Chachamaru…we may…" Evangeline turned to face the girls, ignoring the fact that she was precariously close to Makie's trembling form with her fangs still protruding.

"Need…more tea…" The four century old mage trailed off in defeat. With a deep groan of frustration, Evangeline finally released Makie and rubbed her cheek tiredly.

"Just…go." A roar of cheers exploded from the girls before they victoriously filed into the cabin. As Yuna walked by, she noticed that Makie was still frozen in her spot next to Evangeline with her eyes wide as saucer plates. The dark haired athlete sweat dropped before grabbing her traumatized friend and dragging the comatose body along with her.

"Come on Makie-San, you'll be fine after we splash some water in your face!" Only jumbled and incomplete words escaped Yuna's shocked classmate. Evangeline slowly arose from the ground and dusted off her clothes; grumbling multiple curses under her breath about a specific set of classmates.

"Damn these kids! Chachamaru! Make sure to bring my wine too! The strong stuff!"

"Yes master." Evangeline couldn't believe how many individuals were invading her home. It was all that magic sensor's fault,_ 'no…it was that damn Anima's fault!'_

Stomping into her cabin and soundly slamming the door behind her, Evangeline irritably plopped down onto her couch and eyed the surrounding students coldly. Her vision then landed on Setsuna and the other's hovering over Kendra's slightly writhing form on the opposite couch.

"So, you guys want to explain this," Evangeline waved her hand in Kendra's direction.

"To everyone…or should I do it?" Setsuna sighed as she turned to Zazie, looking for permission from the magic sensor's most trusted lover.

"Zazie-San…I know this is supposed to be Kendra-San's situation. But…I think she would entrust her secrets with you and what to do with them. Should we tell them?" Before the tan demon could even respond, Kazumi had already boldly stood forward and slammed both of her hands on the table.

"You'll have to tell us everything anyways because Kendra-San's little secret is about to put all of us in danger." This time, it seemed that Setsuna, Zazie, Negi, and his roommates felt more out of the loop than anyone else. Kazumi's classmates began to circulate worrisome murmurs as well since they were un-informed about this supposedly new threat.

The Hanyou swordswoman came gravely closer to Kazumi and commanded firmly.

"Explain" Kazumi, once again assuming her professional strut, paced back and forth slowly across the room.

"Me, Sayo, Nodoka-San and Yue-San had done some research. We didn't get much at first, but then Chamo here," As if right on cue, the albino rodent appeared atop Negi's head and puffed on an oversized cigar.

"Right here Ane-San!" Kazumi only nodded in recognition before continuing sternly.

"Chamo filled us in on what we needed to know. That guy Anima has enemies, enemies that are just like him. Just as powerful-"

WHAM!

The door swung open with a ringing bang, revealing a particular blonde class representative.

"Ha! I knew you guys were lying to me!"

Evangeline slammed her forehead onto the table.

"Kami-Sama why?!" If only Kendra was awake at that moment, it would've been a sight that she would've enjoyed greatly…

* * *

><p>Okay! That's all for now! Not the most satisfying story in the world but I PROMISE things will start to happen next chapter! So I ask again, be patient with me, please? :)<p>

So, please...

CLICK THE BLUE BUTTON. -.-


	27. Chapter 27

Whew boy, oh boy! What can I say? Err...nothing really, except that I had intense writer's block. ^_^'

So, let's get this train rollin'!

Disclaimer: I do not own Negima or any of its characters.

Now please, enjoy the chapter! :D

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 27<strong>

Crimson pupils roamed casually over the dusty wall in front, a sensation of subtle eagerness slowly bubbling within him. Despite that, a calm sigh escaped Deveron before he turned his gaze to his left.

"I said, ain't ya father da head of some powerful demon clan?" Poyo, having just asked Deveron to repeat his unforeseen question a mere moment ago, straightened her posture a bit before replying somewhat curtly.

"Yes, my father is the leader of…a royal clan actually." The tan twin hesitated in revealing the fact that she hailed from a royal demon tribe, as this was first time that Deveron had heard anything about it. Scooting across the bed and away from the dark skin boy out of wary habit, Poyo continued in a low murmur.

"Actually, our clan was once one of the most highly respected of the demon underworld…" Deveron's flesh red pupils glimmered with interest and, knowing that he'd gain an entertaining kick out of doing so, moved closer to Poyo. There was no doubt that Deveron's action had unsettled the tattooed demon, but she feigned a blank expression and fought the anxiety butterflies fluttering in the pit of her stomach.

"So…how come it was once highly respected 'n not still highly respected now?" To further fuel Deveron's amusement, he tilted his head ever so little to the side and stared with intense blandness that would put both Kendra and Zazie's vacant expressions to shame.

To the boy's slight disappointment however, Poyo's cautious behavior was swiftly replaced with aggravation as the image of her twin sister appeared in her mind. A demonic growl much more dangerous than her usual tone resounded lowly from Poyo.

"...My idiot sister…was the one who caused it all…" Perhaps Deveron's fun did not need to end so soon since witnessing his lover's frequent tantrums were as equally intriguing to him. Grasping Poyo's hand within his own before she could even comment on it, Deveron commanded simply.

"Tell me 'bout it." Poyo scrutinized the way Deveron gently held her hand, rubbing surprisingly soothing circles on the back, and then attempted to scan for any meaning behind the dark skin male's suddenly attentive gaze. _'Why is Igneus so interested?'_ She wondered cautiously. Then a thought desperately became apparent to her.

Deveron's attitude was taking a rare turn of pleasantness. As much as Poyo first denied the notion, as she saw it as human nature, she could not ignore it for much longer; the sadistic fire manipulator had weaseled his way into an important spot within her heart. Poyo loathed the realization greatly, especially since it had provided another feature about her that was similar to Zazie. Having the same appearance as her twin sister was one thing, but experiencing mortal and, from her view point, useless emotions had cut her demon ego deeply.

However, through multiple processes that required little passion but much physical exertion, Deveron had easily changed Poyo's thoughts on the matter. The first night that he and Poyo had made love, the first night that Poyo began to succumb to Deveron's intoxicatingly addictive touches, she knew an imbalance was in early development.

Their relationship had started out with mutual agreements; both individuals had someone to kill, and would assist the other in accomplishing that goal. But now, now the imbalance was a raging forest fire guided by Deveron's puppet strings; he was in charge, and he knew it. He knew what invisible bind he had on Poyo. He knew what the half demon felt for him.

And he knew exactly how to take advantage of that.

So when Poyo saw the pleasant attitude once again return in the form of that gentle yet powerfully compelling shine in Deveron's ruby irises, she knew all too well that it was manipulation. She always knew, and so did Deveron. It was a mystery to Poyo if he was just playing her like a board game, but until her goal was complete, and as much as Poyo hated to do it, she would allow Deveron to toy with her feelings.

The vulnerable, yet illogically strong, feeling of love that she occupied for him; Deveron could toss it around like a rag doll without consequence.

A thoughtful hum from Deveron brought Poyo out of her extensive silence and, with a small startled jump, blinked a few times before directing her sheepish gaze away from her lover's analyzing look.

"Poyo…ya was out for a good minute there…somethin' I need to know?"

"N-no" Poyo immediately replied, resulting in Deveron's stare to intensify. Poyo obviously recognized this and quickly attempted to direct his suspicion.

"M-my sister and I were the next heirs to my clan. We were almost old enough to begin training for the throne, and it was going to be sooner than what the clan rules say since our father became weaker all of a sudden." Poyo managed to relay all of this through one rushed breath, and it took Deveron a bit of restraint not to shake his head in amusement at his lover's actions.

"Poyo…" He started with a light chuckle. His blood red eyes then dulled considerably before delicately running his fingers through Poyo's porcelain tresses. His dark toned hand then rested on the back of her neck, giving it a firm grip and taking precaution that she didn't turn her gaze away from the fire manipulator's own.

"…Please…don' try 'n lie to me, because I can a'ways tell when ya do." Poyo's throat tightened as her breath hitched, her heart mimicking the reflex as well. Deveron noticed her tenseness and sighed before continuing in a slightly softer tone.

"I can also tell…dat it's somethin' personal…I don' plan to learn anythin' bout ya besides…well…" Deveron's eyes then expressed a millisecond glow as they glided over Poyo's form mischievously.

"…da physical parts…so it ain't none of my concern. Just continue with ya whole clan story, love." A contradicting wave of reprieve and disappointment washed over Poyo, she would've been a fool to pass up the free opening that Deveron presented to her though.

"Our clan's way of training…is quite simple compared to the others. All that the heirs have to do is prove their demon prominence to the tribe leader. Our blood lust, indomitable pride, and to be merciless…all of this wrapped together with a hard emotional core is what a leader of our tribe must have…My twin sister and I…" A snarling undertone snaked its way through once again, and Poyo had to draw in a cleansing breath in order to continue calmly.

This action entertained Deveron as well and the dark skin boy usually would have prolonged his lover's state. However, what the tan demon was informing her seemed useful let alone interesting. Not showing any physical signs that he reacted to Poyo's pause, Deveron effortlessly encouraged his lover to proceed. Poyo took another precautionary inhale.

"…My twin sister and I were very young when we had to prove our demon prominence to the clan head, our father. And when he told us what that objective was, I just knew that I'd be the tribe leader in no time. It was such an easy task…all that we had to do…was to specifically kill an innocent child's loved ones right before their very eyes, traumatize the child to the best of our abilities…and then, afterwards, do whatever we pleased with the child. Father had also ordered us to tell him what happened from detail to detail-"

"Wait" The fire manipulator's calloused hand was raised in a halting fashion, an expression of subtle confusion infecting his features.

"What's da point in dat? Killin' a child 'n their family seems like child's play to me, not a way to prove leadership." Poyo understood Deveron's skepticism completely.

"I know what you mean and trust me when I say that I felt the same as well when father told this to us. But apparently…there really was an important purpose behind it all." A meaningful gleam peered along the brims of gore red irises. It appears that learning more about the other individual in a relationship was not as much of a wasteful principle as Deveron thought. The gears, the levers and pulleys, the combines, they all functioned in a treacherously brisk pace within his sadistic subconscious. A plan was forming; one much more ingenious than his current one and Deveron could only smirk darkly at the possible outcomes of his evolving plot.

Poyo detected the vice smile upon Deveron's face and, not knowing the meaning behind it just yet, somewhat cautiously smirked back.

"…Let's just say, that the mission was a fail. I had successfully killed a loved one in front of the child and was about to kill her as well…but then that…that stupid, weak sister of mine actually stopped me from doing so! It was an outrage! She went against me, our father, the entire clan just for a disgusting human girl!" Poyo's auburn orbs were livid and unintentionally sent a burning glare in the sadistic male's direction. No such thing would ever scorch or intimidate a regulator of fire itself though, and Deveron absorbed the searing gaze indifferently.

"Right then, the child didn't even matter anymore! For my sister to do something so stupid, she was not going to get off easy! And by Kami was it irritating, she was such a slippery annoyance! She kept just barely avoiding my attacks even though I should be way stronger than that little waste of space!" The taste buds lining the back of Deveron's tongue recognized his impatience surfacing quickly, and it left a bad flavor in his mouth. As much as the dark skin male supported Poyo's view on the matter, she was still eschewing from the main point of their conversation. If there was one of many things that irked Deveron's twisted mind, it was dawdling.

"I came so close to ending her too-"

"Poyo!" As if the abrupt action would blockade the infuriating words from escaping her, Poyo's teeth clenched. With the fire of betrayal and anger still kindling in her eyes, the tan demon cautiously roamed them over Deveron's stern expression; studying the way his eyebrows gradually inched lower until a scowl formed. The southern male released an annoyed sigh.

"Now look, I perfectly understan' how ya feel right now…but I ain't ask ya to start babblin' 'n gettin' off topic." His voice, registering in a warningly low volume, flowed with expertly restrained impatience; Poyo picked up every bit of it however. She once again drew in a deep breath; mentally chiding herself for her lack of control all the while. How could the twin demon become the clan's next head if she didn't have proper management over her emotions like her father does with his own?

"Sorry, I just got a little…carried away." Deveron simply nodded in both pardon and commandment to continue; his scowl softening just slightly.

"Anyways um, my twin sister escaped and I was going to chase her down…but then I realized that there was a way for her to really suffer. I wasn't going to kill her, because that punishment would be too lenient."

"So what did ya do?" Deveron asked as he casually raised an index finger and began rotating it at a slow pace. A thin, swirling line of inferno condensed a mere centimeter above the single dark toned digit and surrounded it in a miniature fire tornado. Poyo momentarily focused on the seemingly bored action until Deveron caught sight of her gaze. He cracked a small smirk before adding in a playful tone.

"I ain't bored. I seriously wanna know wha'cha did next. What? A guy can' play wit fire every now 'n again?" Despite the fact that the purpose behind his words was to wave off Poyo's doubts of not withholding her lover's attention, the tattooed demon couldn't find any sure signal in his apparel that said it was okay to laugh. Poyo took the safe route and merely smirked back.

"Well…my twin thought that I never noticed, but I always knew how much she wanted to prove herself to our father. The poor excuse for a life never could though, and it hurt her every time she failed." An infrequent yet satisfied smile made a home upon Poyo's visage.

"Instead, I immediately returned back to my demon tribe and told father just exactly how her precious little heir-in-training had betrayed us. Needless to say is that he was furious and I had assumed at the time…that he would crown me as the next leader…This is what I meant when I said that there was a purpose behind all of this…one that I didn't pick up on at that time." The blazing whirlwind never ceased its rotation, but Deveron's finger did, and his crimson orbs stared upon Poyo with intrigue once again. A scowl that perfectly mirrored the fire manipulator's previous one appeared on her face.

"He said that I had forgotten one of the most important factors needed to be the tribe's leader: a hardened emotional core. When he had said that, he snapped his fingers and Goro had strutted right to his side." Deveron's right eyebrow arched.

"Goro?" The realization that her lover was unaware of Goro's identity dawned on Poyo instantly.

"Ah, yeah; Goro is my father's naïve, full-blooded demon pet. That slobbering beast is a real idiot and its job is to gather some information outside of tribe grounds since father couldn't leave when he was still so weak. But that demon does his job well sometimes, and I was…I-I was…" Poyo struggled to find the word that could properly describe the level of foolishness and anger that she felt once Goro had appeared. Deveron had unusually assisted her however and replied.

"Pissed?" Poyo's orbs lowered from his indifferent gaze and nodded.

"Y-yeah…I was, well, pissed when I saw Goro show up because that was when I figured out why father didn't choose me as leader. Father must've sent Goro to do his stealthy work and track me and my sister's every move! Goro had informed father of my reaction to my sister's betrayal and he said that I had no proper control over my emotions…and that I didn't deserve to become clan head!" Poyo was further proving her father's conviction as her canines began to elongate once more and sneered savagely at the humiliating recollection.

Sounds of sliding friction emitted from the dark tone wrist that Poyo had a vise grip on and became muffled as Deveron, after dispersing his fire tornado, placed his rough hand over hers.

"Take it easy, love…" Poyo for the third time attempted to take tranquil breaths, but they failed royally. Deveron obviously realized this and decided to take a more stern approach by gripping her hand and harshly prying it off. With his other hand now free of the compressive prison, the sinister male wrapped it around the back of the agitated half demon's head and growled lowly.

"Calm…down…now!" His scarlet irises flashed neon red, succeeding in gaining Poyo's attention and ceasing her feral actions. Just like many times before, Deveron's method of provoking fear had efficiently snapped her back in line. With great shame that was practically palpable, Poyo mumbled in a despondent tone.

"Father was right…and he still is. I have no control. And now, our clan has gone down in ranks…because my father is still ill and remained the tribe head…the demon world has lost almost all respect for us." The reason for the tribe's descent was finally explained, and yet Deveron saw several holes in it that wasn't filled.

"I don' understand though. Ya said yourself dat ya father is ill. So won' he die soon? Just take da throne then. Either do dat, or just kill da old bastard yourself."

"He's physically weak, not mentally." Poyo had sputtered that one statement as if it was the answer to everything, but Deveron still saw the holes and his expression was enough to convey that. Finally realizing that her hand and head was still snuggly encompassed in Deveron's hold, Poyo slowly withdrew from him and took a shaky breath.

"You don't know how much I've wanted to kill him and how many times I've thought of it. But our tribe's true strength is not in our body, it's our minds. My father is the clan head for a reason Igneus. His level of telepathy exceeds mine, and to oppose him would be like committing suicide."

"Ya talk like he's da only one who knows a thing or two 'bout da weaknesses of da mind." A confident smile ebbed its way onto the dark skin boy's face and, weirdly enough, a bit had seeped into Poyo as well. Something about that smile just made her feel so superior; as if she was appointing a podium that Deveron so humbly shared with her.

"That's right…you control any human's misery…" The fire manipulator chuckled and glanced slightly above as if he was admiring a beautiful, floating fantasy.

"Misery…fear…regret…despair…insanity…and fire…" He cackled again.

"I'm just da complete package, huh?" Poyo smirked at the male's sadistic pun; in all actuality frowning on the inside from how easily effected she was by his unpremeditated thoughts and actions. This emotion of love was becoming more and more troublesome for the identical twin.

The developing plan that Deveron had not too long ago was expanding in size; experiencing a non-sporadic metamorphosis that would soon lead to the birth of an emotionally lethal attainment. His smile broadened to the point that the corners of his lips practically reached his ears; exposing unnaturally porcelain teeth.

"Poyo…how 'bout we take a field trip?" Poyo flashed a toothy leer of her own.

"I don't know what you're planning…but I have a feeling that I'm going to like it."

"Trust me, love…you will. And we'll be carryin' some extra weight along da way too." Deveron stated conceitedly before rubbing the back of his hand across her cheek; the feeling similar to gliding a piece of coal against a velvet surface. Confusion fleeted through Poyo's dark brown orbs before comprehension shortly settled in.

"The parents are coming along?"

"Why not? Might as well give 'em some insight on what they're dealin' wit here; gotta get 'em to understan' just how much deep shit they're in…Especially Kendra's father. Dat man needs a good wake up call." With an eager bounce in his step, Deveron stood from their shared bed and wasted no time to trot towards the door; intent on retrieving his prisoners. Poyo promptly followed behind, feeling a sense of giddiness swell up in her chest from anticipation…

* * *

><p>"…g-get…us…o-out of…here…"<p>

"…stop…"

"H…h-help!"

"…just stop, p-please Sam…"

"Help, god dammit!"

"Sam, it's…no use…Please don' s-strain yourself."

"F-fuck! Fuck, fuck, fuck! Fuckin' help us!" Head facing an imperceptible ceiling, teeth grinding mercilessly, and jerking violently against his rope bindings, Sam was close to tipping over the edge. Shon, who could feel his panicking movements against her, sobbed out for him to cease his fruitless attempts at freedom.

"Sam! Stop!"

"Don' ya fuckin' tell me to stop Shon! We gonna su'vive god dammit! Ain't no way 'n fuckin' heaven or hell I'm gonna die like dis!" His wife was about to retort weakly when the wooden door swung open and revealed their two guards of confinement.

"What 'bout da demon world then? Ya could always just die there." Deveron suggested in a mocking tone with Poyo standing next to him. Just the lone sight of the fire contortionist sent Kendra's father into a frenzied lunge forward, only to land dully onto his stomach and squirm against the ropes once more. Sam's head whipped up and was delivered amused expressions from the sadistic couple; fueling his enraged state into levels practically dangerous to his own health.

"Get dis god damn rope da fuck off of me so I can shove 'em up ya ass, ya little bast'ud!" The grown man's country slur became thicker and thicker as the frustration began to pour from him in raging currents. His voice volume raised and lowered infrequently whenever his physical weakness randomly limited his sworn threats, but then momentarily intensified with renewed fury a mere second later. Shon whimpered every time she witnessed the aged veins in her husband's neck convulse unnaturally with each shout and then shrink to a pitiful size immediately afterwards. The drastic and sudden switches of Sam's apparel between strong willed and broken was too much for Shon to handle.

The heart wrenching routine of Sam's frazzled actions and Shon's sobs repeated in a seemingly never-ending cycle, and Deveron took clear notice of this. A smirk slithered onto his dark features before he kneeled in front of Sam's panting form. With an individual hand resting on both knees, Deveron leaned forward and blandly scrutinized the suffering man; watching to see if something different would happen.

"Get da fuck outta my face! I'll end ya! I'll end ya 'n den I'll skin ya 'live! Don' play wit muh boy! I'll…I-I'll…" Sam succumbed to fatigue once again and slumped fully to the floor; still wholly conscious but unable to force his body to gather energy any faster for his convenience. As Sam recuperated, Poyo decided to have a little fun herself. The twin demon casually trotted over to Shon's trembling form and loomed over her silently; effortlessly establishing a mantle of uneasiness to settle over the woman. The imprisoned wife's figure quaked even harder and, just like Deveron, Poyo detected this easily.

"Hey you…" Poyo started. Shon's head lowered and continued to quiver.

"…The shaking one. Don't you know how rude it is to ignore people?" Her dark cocoa eyes feigned an innocent countenance but gleamed treacherously with every flicker of light the sluggishly swinging light bulb provided. With the tip of her right shoe, the tan demon pressed it to Shon's chin and raised her head slowly. Then, as if the action she just performed was of garbage duty, Poyo snatched her foot away with a disgusted grunt. Her foot didn't lower back to the floor however. It remained hovering a few inches and left Shon cautiously watching the appendage with apprehension.

"And den I'll dance like 'ere's no t'morruh on ya fuckin' grave!" Sam had sprung up with another hostile threat ripping from his very soul and had done it with the last speck of drive that he had left. The desperate yell was painful, and was further proven by the lengthy chain of coughs that racked his mistreated lungs. Deveron, who was still kneeling and hadn't budged an inch from his spot, sighed in boredom before standing.

"Well…now dat ya got dat out of ya system, how 'bout we take a field trip Mr. 'n Mrs. Johnson!" The dark skin male announced in a chipper tone; turning a deaf ear to Sam's continuous dry and heavy heaving all the while. Poyo's eager grin returned before looking back down at Shon to realize that she was watching her husband gag with great worry.

Auburn eyes glanced between the parents before they shifted over in Deveron's direction; wordlessly asking for permission. It took Deveron a few moments until he finally recognized what his lover was begging for. Restraining a low chuckle and shaking his head the same way an adult would to a spoiled child, he waved his hand in dismissal.

Poyo's wish was granted.

Her foot that was still hovering silently reeled back; not catching Shon's attention in the slightest. Poyo's smirked faded a little. That wouldn't do; the twin demon craved those multiple devastated looks that Shon withheld. They couldn't be seen if she didn't even notice Poyo's unsettling movements.

"You're still ignoring me." Realization clicked in Shon's mind and instantly remembered that Deveron's lethal other half was still towering over her. She turned to face Poyo-

PACK!

The last thing Shon saw before blacking out was the material lining of Poyo's shoe.

"Shon!" Sam wailed raspingly as he attempted to roll his body in his wife's direction and wiggle towards her comatose form. Before he even reached halfway, a solid punch to the back of his head knocked him out cold and then fell with a thud.

Deveron cracked his knuckles with a relaxed clench of his right fist while staring at the unconscious parents. His gaze then analyzed Shon's face and her swollen left eye.

"Damn…ya really went all out on dat kick, love." The fire manipulator sent his lover a prideful sadistic grin. Poyo returned it with flawless mimicry…

* * *

><p>Kendra watched in great repentance as her pale toned hand drew an incantation circle with white chalk.<p>

It couldn't have been any more than a few meters wide. The center's pattern was closely related to a spider web but with a few of the necessary connecting diagonal lines missing. Three rings of alternating triplet prongs were skillfully placed to link with the core pattern's ends; creating the abstract apparel that it flowed out naturally. The outer-most section consisted of an inwardly curved, religious cross; the vertical protrusions having a single point while the horizontal segments' structure resembled a trident with the side spears drawn closer to the center one.

Past Anima's hand restrained the trembling that had conquered the rest of his body and drew in the last chalk line with expert steadiness. Executing the action with relief, the soul robber chucked the white chalk aside and finally allowed his right hand to tremor with giddy apprehension. Kendra, who obviously knew the reason behind his reluctance, once again ranted fruitlessly against his actions.

"Well shit Anima! Ya don' wanna do it, so don'! It's simple as sayin' no! Just turn 'round 'n tell ya dad no! Come on Anima-" A gentle pressure on Anima's right shoulder brought an end to Kendra's chiding as her shared emerald orbs shifted up. The soul manipulator's father gazed reassuringly down at Anima and gave his shoulder a squeeze for extra measure.

"_Do not fret son. I know that thy must be nervous, but understand that if the spell does not work then I'll reverse it immediately."_ The elderly man's seemingly soothing declaration didn't reach Kendra or Anima in the slightest; the green haired male nodded in acknowledgement however. The gesture seemed to suffice in the old man's eyes and left Anima's side to seat himself in a dusky limber chair.

The piece of furniture's run down condition blended with the basement's appearance perfectly. What used to be an oak beige wooden table, but now layered with soot remains of multiple failed experiments, withheld an eclectic array of lab tools ranging from dirtied test tube trays, burners, rusty tongs, to separate sealed jars of uncommon dead flowers. The front left leg was slightly bent halfway down and, just like the other three legs, was lined with numerous threadlike fractures.

The grimy floor was at one point suffocated by compacted stacks of wooden crates; each container with a written label such as 'dangerous', 'important', 'erratic', or 'living'. Hiding away in the miniscule bit of room between those stacks were crumbled spell manuscripts; pages stained dark beige from overuse, dust collection, and aging. It made both the family and Kendra wonder just how the elder man was ever able to sleep let alone walk around in the cramped basement. The cocky senior had replied constantly that he found the tiny abode quite comfy however, and since it was a successful experiment of his own-which was constructing further into the ground to build the space-he didn't want to be anywhere else than there.

Anima was a bit discouraged when he had to push aside those cases, especially the 'living' ones, but it didn't stop him. The past immortal was determined to do this, no matter how many times a loved one pleaded him not to. Luckily for the two men, they had managed to create just enough room for the colossal incantation circle and now that Anima completed sketching it, the apprehended moment had come.

Anima's father watched his son arise shakily, and could only pray that the accusations about him being an old coot were nothing more than an ignorant fluke. This spell will work, it has to work.

"_Son"_ Responding to the call anxiously, Anima faced his father with downcast emerald orbs. The elderly spell castor detected the past immortal's despondency and furrowed his bushy brows with slight worry.

"_Son…thy is more upset then for what it is worth. There is more to this than thy is telling me…isn't there?"_ If it wasn't for that peculiar dilemma clouding Anima's mind right at that moment, he would've smirked at the lanky coot's insightfulness.

Releasing a deep sigh, the troubled soul robber leaned his left forearm against one of the few rickety, wooden beams supporting the basement ceiling and muttered.

"_Father…it is Stella. She has not spoken a word to me for hours now…"_ Like chucking an ugly duckling into a pool of swans, his father hunched over in his chair and cackled against his bony fist; polluting the depressive atmosphere with childish folly. Anima could only gape and blink confusingly at his father's unforeseen response and, doing nothing to hide it in his expression, leisurely began to feel aggravation boil within him.

Kendra wasn't very penchant of the old male's current immaturity either. Even she understood that a sincerely vulnerable question like that, coming from Anima nonetheless, had to be answered as wisely yet delicately as possible. But then here is this aged individual, laughing dead in his emotionally struggling child's face, and doing so for an extensive few minutes or so. It made the magic sensor wonder how the soul manipulator could ever be a descendent of such a polar opposite persona.

"Da hell is dis guy's problem? I'm startin' to see why Stella hates da old fart so much…"

"_Thy lady is giving thy the cool shoulder, no? Hope thy is not sleeping on the couch tonight!"_ The snickering senior voiced with hilarity.

"_It's…cold shoulder, father…"_ Anima whispered as he attempted to bite the inside of his cheeks and eschew his vision from the chortling mage professor. Once again missing the negative waves that were radiating from his son's dejected form, the aged father hummed inquisitively.

"_Ah, I see. So thy say it's cold shoulder, not cool? I really must be far past my prime, for I cannot master this youngster language to save my life!"_ Just then, with his wrinkled and thin hands raised in an exasperated fashion, his demeanor oddly shifted in under a second.

His slight hunch suddenly became more prominent, his arms lowered in painful, slow jerks, as if his joints were instantly rusting, the wrinkles lining every centimeter of his skin appeared to be deeper, and his now dull almond orbs became sluggishly lidded.

Kendra observed the abnormal transformation with subtle fright; unable to comprehend why it had occurred so suddenly. The calming pace of Anima's heart reassured the magic sensor however, as if it was telling her that everything was alright; that this was supposed to happen.

"W-what da…but what da hell just happen? Why he ain't feelin' surprised?" The transfer student couldn't believe Anima's indifference to his father's erratic behavior. The past immortal's life was in the hands of that enigma of a human being, and yet there was no discouragement. Kendra just couldn't accept the fact that Anima was actually foolish enough to put so much trust and responsibility on, in Stella's words, this old coot's shoulders.

Still withholding the drastic change in apparel, the elderly professor's trembling hands reached for the nearby blackened table at a snail's pace. He was struggling to accomplish such a simple task, that it compelled the green haired mage to assist him.

Anima, doing his upmost to not step on the fresh chalk lines and smudge them, sauntered up to the table and studied the four or so spell books scattered across it. Each text had a blank cover and looked exactly the same except for color. Arching an eyebrow, Anima directed a pensive gaze to his strangely fragile father.

"_Which one does thy need father?"_

"…_Tha…one…"_ Unlike his wall rattling, obnoxious volume of voice, the elderly man's words came out in a strained wheeze. He coughed harshly into his fist to clear his throat, which once again set off alarm bells in Kendra's soul; hacking that roughly made it seem as though it could shatter the old mage's weak form into pieces.

Another deep cough juddered against the elder's chest before he raised a shivering finger at one peculiar, bare book. It was the third, green book to the right and was decently thick. Anima effortlessly held it in one hand, trotted over to his vulnerable father's side, and leaned down to hand the text over. Delivering an appreciative smile that looked weirdly out of place on his sagging visage, the aged professor turned the large manuscript onto its side and puffed weakly along the spine. The blow had barely served its purpose to remove the dense layer of dust so, once again, Anima assisted him by breathing out against it himself; not exactly sure why his father wanted to do this in the first place.

However, Anima saw a glimpse of bold text within the dirty fluff and proceeded to wipe off the rest with his hand. Finally establishing a clear view of the title, both Anima and Kendra scanned it curiously.

"_Legend of the Heroic Shikigami? What incantations does this spell book have, father?"_ The soul robber questioned enquiringly.

"_This…not be a spell book…son."_ The scrawny senior replied between silent yet labored breaths. The magic sensor's vision wordlessly absorbed the old sorcerer's appearance and then, as if Anima finally came to a resignation that he should've earlier, felt shame and regret fill his conscious to the brim. This only stacked onto the dark skin girl's growing perplexity.

Anima's father was just about to further explain when his son had interrupted in a softer tone.

"_No, there is no need to stress thy's self. Father, just rest a moment and…wait until thy is ready to approach this more thoroughly."_ The way Anima had muttered that second sentence, the sudden caring attitude towards the man who had so rudely laughed at Anima's misery a mere few minutes ago, and the aged sorcerer's complete change in attitude; all of those factors had frazzled Kendra to no end initially. But now, she was having the creeping intuition that there was huge reason behind it all; a reason that seemed to be sitting right under her currently unavailable nose.

Amongst the magic sensor's musings, Anima grabbed a nearby chair and sat next to his physically exhausted father. It appeared that holding the hefty book atop his bony thighs was putting a strain on the little lower body strength that the old man had. Continuing to play the role of a considerate son, the green haired immortal promptly relieved the book of the mage professor's lap and placed it upon his own.

"_I've got thy's book father. Thy just rest for a moment…"_ The sensation of regret and shame crashing against Kendra's soul returned with vengeance as Anima focused his gaze on the drawn incantation circle; purposely avoiding his father's fatigued stare.

Uncomfortable minutes of silence settled over the close relatives until one of the two croaked hoarsely.

"_Thy's wife…is unhappy with thy…no?"_ The unexpected question compelled Anima and Kendra to deliver the emaciated elder a scrutinizing expression. The magic sensor and past immortal were sending it for diverse reasons however. From what the dark skin girl could decipher, Anima seemed to be looking for what he had been waiting for; although Kendra had no idea what that is exactly. On the other hand, Kendra was scanning the old man for any more hints as to what could possibly be the missing puzzle piece that she needed.

"_Stella may…look upset. But…thy should not worry, son…Women, are complicated…and delicate creatures…Thy's wife will…understand in due time."_ Kendra felt Anima's eyebrow rise with suspicion, apparently wondering why he hasn't seen what he had been waiting for.

"_And what exactly makes thy so sure of thy self?"_ He asked skeptically. Attempting to crack a haughty smile but then failing halfway from lack of motivation, the scraggly elder patted his son's back. Anima inwardly grimaced as he solemnly realized how the old mage's pat felt weaker than a bee sting.

"…_I just know…Experience served me well son."_ Anima chuckled weakly in response; lowering his head and intertwining his long sturdy fingers. The forest haired immortal was beginning to slightly worry about something, as Kendra could detect this, and went to voice his concerns when a startling force collided with his shoulder; an impact actually stronger than a bee sting.

"_And don't think thy's father don't know a good helping about women! Yes, thy old man got around real good!"_ Cocky pride became reacquainted with Kendra and Anima's ears, resulting in the surprise of one and slight relief of the other. If only the magic sensor had eyes of her own, they would look upon the now juvenile senior as though he were a viscous shark with human legs. The smug professor's almond orbs twinkled with hubris, his posture straightened with a confident puff of his chest, and his small gestures flowed with vibrant energy; all of this only helped to intensify Kendra's muddled trepidation.

"D-dis guy ain't right! He keeps changin' personalities! What kinda-" Assurance pulsed against the transfer student's trapped soul again, her overwhelming confusion crushing her millisecond drive for questioning. Kendra just couldn't comprehend it. The indifferent reaction Anima had towards his erratic father would have to conclude that it was actually a normal occurrence. If that was indeed the case, then Kendra had at least one more enquiry plaguing her spiritual mind.

"Why? Why is dis old man like dis? I mean, yeah, bite-size said dat he was supposed to be crazy but…I wouldn' say he's insane or nothin'!"

"_Father! I did not wish to hear that!"_ Anima guffawed in slight disgust; the disturbing thought of his father chasing after attractive women forever burned into the hind corners of his subconscious. Attempting hopelessly to tousle the image out of his mind with his hands, when he was only ruffling his jade hair, Anima afterwards gave in with a defeated slump of his shoulders.

"_Father, let's not talk of Stella anymore…I believe thy is more than capable…to perform the spell now."_ The haughty sorcerer's brow raised with recognition before springing up from his chair; the peppiness in his step causing a small smirk to crack across Anima's features.

"_Right thy is, right thy is! Come now and stand in this circle! Ah! And also,"_ The old professor's motor mouth halted presumptuously as he turned to his son with eagerly clasped hands.

"_The book that I wanted to show thy, Legend of the Heroic Shikigami, it shall belong to thy after this spell."_ Anima traded an intrigued stare between his father and the thick book in his arms.

"_Why shall I only receive a simple spell book after the spell? Why not now? I could quickly store it away upon my shelf and return-"_

"_No son! That book does not withhold spells! This is what I told thy before! Does thy not listen to thy's father?"_ Overstating his exasperation, the elderly father threw his head back surprisingly far with an aggravated sigh, to the point that his back bent at a near sixty degree angle. The past immortal's left eye twitched ever so subtly but since he was a strong believer of respecting an individual's elders, he kept his placid expression solidified into place and wordlessly allowed his father's whining to continue.

"_How about thy try listening, no? That book, is not a spell book, it's far more special than that. It be a very rare magical text son! Only the most worthy mage that withholds the title of Heaven and Hell's vessel could possess that book!"_ Now Anima's intrigue turned into awe, unable to believe that he was given the honor to grasp such an amazing manuscript. Doing so as if the text was a fragile relic, the soul robber cautiously held up the book with both hands; one of them inching towards the edge of the cover. He slowly opened to the first page.

The page was blank.

Anima flipped to the next page, only to see bare paper. The soul manipulator turned several pages, and even did it backwards, hoping find some kind of text on the backside of the pages.

Still nothing; every single page was blank. All features about the book besides the title along the spine were plain and incomplete. Feeling as though his father was playing another of his mischievous jokes, Anima turned a displeased stare to the grinning professor.

"_What is the meaning of this? Now is not the time for foolishness father!"_ Shrugging off his son's accusations effortlessly, Anima's father wagged his index finger playfully while clicking his tongue in feigned disappointment.

"_Son, son, son, I am disappointed in thy. Thy must learn faster than this. Did I not just say that it was only meant to be held by the vessel of Heaven and Hell himself? Of course it would be blank."_

"_Then why did thy show this book to me?!"_ Anima snapped back, but then immediately receded back into himself after realizing how cross he was being with his father. This time, Kendra had easily predicted the wave of shame and regret to wash over her as she had picked up on an emotional cycle Anima had for the old man's weird behavior. From what little hints and evidence the magic sensor had collected, it seemed that the soul manipulator lamented whenever losing his patience with his father.

The atmosphere surrounding the senior mage suddenly shifted with a stern seriousness that, just as much as his frail and appreciative smiles, looked otherworldly on his aged features.

"_Who exactly…do thy think is going to be that vessel, son?"_ It was more of an obvious hint than a question. Embarrassment engulfed Kendra, and she undoubtedly knew why Anima felt this way. Even the dark skin girl herself had understood what the mage professor was suggesting, but the past immortal had been so clueless. It was obvious that the stress of the situation was clouding his train of logic.

With his deepened curiosity outweighing the embarrassment, Anima raked his skeptical emerald orbs over the sacred book before voicing lowly.

"_Father…I want to become stronger…and yet, thy is speaking of me becoming a vessel of heaven and hell."_ His gaze, hardened with quizzical fortitude, then shifted to his father's taciturn expression.

"_This is not what I asked of thy. I wish to be stronger, noting else! I will not become thy's experiment-"_

"_But thy will be stronger! I shall guarantee thy this!"_ The elder mage interjected with a passionate swing of his right fist; colliding against a wooden beam ferociously. His scrawny forearm buckled from the impact, and yet the shaft had remained as motionless as ever. The magic sensor and past immortal's worry sneaked its way into their subconscious as the erratic senior leisurely lowered his trembling fist. Kendra held plenty words to speak at that very moment, but couldn't find the usual buoyancy within her to utter them all. Only three of them escaped her.

"…Dis old man…"

Vacant almond orbs stared upon the splintered fist; silently basking in the results of his unpredictable behavior. Something anonymously distressed flashed in his eyes for a mere moment and, regrettably, Anima and Kendra noticed this. The inconsistent professor was clearly aware of the burdens that his attitude change brings; but that glimpse of devastation revealed his helplessness to restrain it.

"_Father"_ The father and son's roles have switched. Unlike earlier, Anima was now the one staring at the conflicted elder with a solemnly knowing gaze. Gulping gently to himself, the mage professor leveled his vision with the soul robber's own and awaited his son to continue wordlessly.

"_I have no doubts of thy's efficiency in sorcery…but it is thy's motives that eludes me constantly, for I cannot always decide if they are true…"_ Anima, with the lengthy book held in one hand, approached two steps closer to his father's uncomfortable form.

"_But…I do know that it is not of thy's control."_ Kendra's soul pulsed with sympathy.

"_The people of our village has called thy a lunatic…crazy…and my wife's favorite, an old coot."_ Despite Anima's inserted joke both males' visage remained placid; determined to upkeep the somber atmosphere.

"_And…as right as they may seem…I strongly disagree."_ Instead of his vision softening with meek gratitude like Kendra had expected, the father's eyes remained obsolete and unchanging.

"_Thy struggles from dawn to night…from day in to day out…to endure thy's curse. Father…I know that thy never asked for it, thy only wishes to discover and reveal amazing works of sorcery."_ Anima took another step closer, only this time, in the direction of the incantation circle. Knowing full well that she did not possess the physical assets, Kendra still felt her throat and heart clench with apprehension.

"_This curse that was forced upon thy…it may taint thy's personality…but thy's brilliance in magic is no different. Thy's passion for this research was never wavered…"_ The jade soul robber's feet were mere inches away from the religious cross's inward curve. The father's head had started to rise, but then ceased halfway out of uncertainty; wondering whether or not if he'll see a sincere expression to confirm his son's words.

"_This is why…I have faith in thy. Or else I would not have caused so much worry among our family."_ With his back erect, legs formally parallel, head held high with confidence, book secure in one arm, standing in the center of the circle, and inundating his father with a resolute stare, Anima took a deep inhale of preparation.

"_Father…I trust thy. Please…make me stronger so that I can protect thy, my wife, and child."_ Gulping once again, perhaps as a way to swallow his gratefulness in order to keep it from showing, the slender old man straightened his posture and gradually revealed a toothy smile.

"_Come, come now! No more of this sentimental talk! We have a spell to perform, no? Thy's wife and child are not in this house, right?"_ Anima didn't try at all to cloak the relieved grin from spreading across his handsome features.

"_Of course, Stella and Gemma are enjoying some quality time at the grass fields… but…will thy's hand be fine?"_ The past immortal's father waved the splintered hand dismissingly.

"_This saddens me so, son! Thy underestimates thy's father! This is merely nothing for a strong ox like me!"_ Anima rolled his emerald orbs before voicing in feigned impatience.

"_Start the spell already, thy old coot!"_ The command only helped to widen the old man's mischievous grin before outstretching both arms in front. A pair of callous yet frail palms faced Anima and, performing the action sluggishly, subtly curled the fingers inward; just enough to bend only the top joint of each digit. Observing the wrinkled face behind those kinked hands, the past immortal could literally see the concentration radiating off of his father in thick wavelengths. Not wanting to insult the senior's perseverance, Anima stoically stared back and remained motionless; awaiting the rush of power to flood him.

However, Kendra was too astonished and ashamed to allow Anima's composure to influence her. Now she finally understood why the mage professor was so unfairly titled as the village lunatic, why he stared upon his splintered fist with melancholy, why Anima felt so guilty whenever he became irritated with the old man. Just as the transfer student theorized earlier, the answer was sitting right under her absent nose the entire time.

"My god…da poor man…"

As if a metal bat was swung and shattered a glass window, Anima's father proclaimed with gruff dominion.

"_Uranicus abbas , commorantes of misericordia , quod immortalis filiolus of omnipotens ratio…"_ A quarter section of the alternating triplet prongs and incomplete web lines from behind the past immortal illuminated a brilliant glow; one that rivaled the sun's own. Anima's eyes squinted momentarily from the sudden brightness, but then forced them fully open a mere second afterwards.

"People durin' dis time…they just don' know…"

"_Ego sono parumper reunion per igneus malum of abyssus…"_

Another quarter of the incantation circle behind Anima began to radiate rays of an orb of inferno. The soul manipulator's back became engulfed in a sheet of intense heat but remained firm and unmoving.

"He ain't crazy…he's just burdened…"

"_Quod clementia in ortus of suum vas…"_

As Anima easily predicted, the quarter section to his right began to emit blazing rays of light. However, this one was different from the last two. Instead of expressing a hue resembling the sun, the smoldering light waved about erratically in a show of forest green. The emerald eyed mage couldn't quite discern it, but he could've sworn that he saw faces overwhelmed with despair emerging from the viscous radiance.

"He can' help it…it's against da old man's control…"

"_Terrenus admiratio of animus…p-procuratio…"_ The elderly sorcerer's chanting began to falter from the exertion and clenched his teeth tightly. His boney hands began to tremble subtly, but continued to push beyond what his worn body could provide. Anima's father had never told his son, as it would surely discourage him from going through with the incantation, that the spell would be taxing on the castor's physicality.

"They just don' know…Da old man's bi-polar."

The last area of the incantation circle erupted with equal vigor as the previous three, also radiating an eerily green color. Anima had to resist the urge to flinch away as a wailing visage protruded from the light and increased in size at an alarming pace. However, once it reached a height that would force an individual to crane their neck, it rapidly receded back; as if it was viciously yanked away by an unknown force.

"_Sanctorum ... judicium et omnis exercitus, qui sanguinat puritate vite. Benedicite habetote acceptatione ad servitium et da ei obvius ad lucem prohibentur mortales oculis!"_ With blinding vibrancy steadily clawing away at his hindsight range and a feverish array of dread ridden faces pouncing savagely towards him, Anima had to delve deep within his most precious genialities to distract his ever growing discouragement. If it wasn't for the unnerving distraction, Anima really would have canceled the spell as soon as he observes his father's condition.

Vaguely lining his forearms and neck, blue veins began to pulsate under the physical burden weighing down the mage professor. His scruffy lips had peeled back to freely expose his grinding teeth and, upon a closer inspection, the ridges of gums linking to his teeth were beginning to bleach in color. The scrawny elder pushed on with as much determination that could match his own son's level of courage for committing to the suicidal attempt of gaining great power.

"_Meld et morph vestri novus Heroicis Shikigami!"_ A violent wave of energy flowed from the incantation circle; helping to intensify the neon gold and green glow. The soul manipulator embraced the book tightly to his side as he fought against the sudden pressure heaping down on his shoulders. Despite their impressive masculinity, Anima's legs buckled visibly under the heavy gravity and focused on not collapsing to his knees.

Kendra never had to exert herself to such a lucrative degree; the magic sensor thought her actual life source would drain under the stress. The real struggle had only begun though.

Shifting an appreciative yet strained gaze upward, Anima was rewarded with the sight of an intermingling whirlwind rising to meet the oak roof; the cross between green and yellow creating a lime color. Soon the tornado encased the past immortal and shielded off his vision of the basement ceiling. Kendra wished that she could gulp in astonishment at the stunning phenomenon occurring before her.

As soon as a thin sheet of the melded auras cloaked the ceiling, wild spikes of energy flared from it randomly and seemed to be trying to reach downward for Anima. It was no longer than a few moments later did the thorns suddenly cease its frantic actions and, forming a consistent ripple to flow through it while doing so, retreated back into the shallow pool of energy. The unsettling action kept repeating every few seconds in a cycle, and both Kendra and the past immortal watched with great difficulty; as they were still fighting against the pulling force.

After a fifth reiteration, two small holes burrowed into the pond of lime light before idly tracing an image within it. Trying with all his might to observe intently, Anima could vaguely make out a blurry visage of something half-human and half-demonic. The drawn face had a single line stretching down the center of it and seemed to host the mask of a split between heaven and hell. The right side had a twisted horn placed just above the temple and was stricken with spitefulness so powerful that it made Anima's insides quake with terror. However, the left withheld an expression of peace; a pleasantly lidded eye accompanied by a fatherly smile.

Choking on both the suffocating, magic filled atmosphere and awe combined; Kendra couldn't for the life of her tear her emerald orbs away from the frighteningly holy scene. The amazing feat of deterring the gaping transfer student's attention was accomplished when she felt something throbbing against her side. Anima jerked his head down slightly and witnessed rays of gold energy rolling off the sacred manuscript in heavy, flowing waves. Kendra effortlessly followed suit as Anima's eyes widened in disbelief before directing his gaze above once again.

The contradicting countenance began to sluggishly protrude from the floating pool, releasing ear damaging screeches as it did so. Anima struggled to raise his free hand and pressed it roughly to his ear; unable to cover the other one and could practically feel it vibrate violently from the sound waves. The magic sensor wasn't faring well against the agonizing wails either, and the screams were becoming even louder as the unknown figure approached closer. All Kendra and Anima could do to withstand the pain was to grunt gratingly through it and await the end of their torture.

There were only a few inches in distance between Anima and the hideous entity. The soul robber couldn't help but cringe as a green mist emitted from the being's fragmented mouth and wafted against his pale features. The face sharing two different halves approached even closer until its divided nose was practically grazing Anima's own. Kendra and the past immortal stared wordlessly into its non-existent pupils for as long as was allowed; which was for a few long moments.

Suddenly, another ear splitting howl was released from the frightening mask before it muttered lowly in a surprisingly human yet gruff tone.

"_Wor…thy…"_ Without missing a single beat, Anima had little time to react before the hovering face rammed against his mouth and pushed until his lips were finally pried apart.

It was like a giant, slithering snake was ruthlessly trying to shove its way down Kendra's throat. Panic and fright was thrashing against each and every single nerve end of her entire shared body, and the magic sensor begged desperately for at least the ability to cry right then and there.

With the startling invasion of his trachea, Anima was effortlessly brought to his knees and clenched his throat as tightly as possible; attempting to squeeze out the foreign presence. His painful scream was muffled from the clogging of his airway and eventually, as he felt the magical presence wiggle more than halfway down his esophagus, slowly lowered his trembling hands; staring upward and vacantly in defeat.

Kendra was experiencing a familiar down spiral of motivation, and saw no reason to fight against the inevitable. Her soul still shuttered with vast terror however, so as a momentary emotional soother, the magic sensor thought of Zazie.

Anima gagged as the last of the magical entity slipped over and past the back of his tongue.

Kendra remembered how Zazie would unintentionally melt the magic sensor on the inside with her big, innocent cappuccino orbs. She may succumb to any other individual's minor whims with their puppy dog eyes, but it was the tan demon's own that truly sucked all the energy from Kendra's legs.

Anima felt a wild force rumbling within him before filling his insides to the very brim. His previously hunched form immediately became erect and threw his head back violently; having dropped the book all the while and hands shaking ferociously.

Kendra recollected the first time that her beloved shy demon revealed her jealous side. It had initially frightened the magic sensor, but once Kendra caught sight of the more appealing features to her passionate outbursts, the magic sensor found it strangely appealing. The way Zazie's nose would cringe ever so slightly to form the small yet adorable crevices along the bridge on her face, the way the tattooed girl's voice would rise a few pitches to the point that she was occasionally squeaking, and how she would blow off the broiling steam through the most unpredictable methods. Kendra was enamored with it all.

Anima's vision slowly became more and more unsaturated, realizing a mere heartbeat of a second later that his irises were beginning to radiate neon gold. The multiple colors and hues Anima saw were all converging into one of blinding porcelain.

Kendra welcomed the porcelain, as it reminded her of Zazie's beautiful cotton colored bangs. The magic sensor could still see the bangs plastered to her lover's forehead, wet from the rain that had drizzled on the pair when they shared their passionate and soul wavering kisses. Kendra shortly reminisced on the events that led up to their first kiss; which was combating a group of men near an alley. Kendra had never enjoyed remembering what she had done, for it only proved further that she could easily cause so much crippling damage on an individual. Images of the young boy, the elementary school bully, with a bloody and misshapen face momentarily flashed through her white-void vision. The dark skin girl internally shuttered, never able to forgive her barbaric act no matter how many times she pointed out that it was indeed Anima to blame.

Anima, finding it irrefutable to hold it in any longer, shrieked in elated suffering as a power far too much for him to handle at once flooded his entire being. Kendra yelled in equal agony, calling out to who she desired the most to be at her side right at that moment…

* * *

><p>Hands resting astutely in her lap, Ayaka's legs bounced impatiently as she was forcibly seated next to Evangeline and watched her pacing classmate curiously. Of course, the class representative wasn't the only anxious girl in the cabin, as a particular red-head had taken extra precaution to avoid making eye contact with Ayaka. The blonde had obviously noticed the distant behavior, and would deliver Asuna a scrutinizing stare every few seconds before returning to following Kazumi's constant back and forth striding.<p>

Finally, Kazumi ceased in the middle of her panicked pacing and sighed deeply. She shifted her brown orbs in Negi's direction before discretely switching her gaze between him and Ayaka. Despite his ranking as a middle school teacher, Negi's young childish naivety kicked in right at that moment. Adorning a semi-concerned expression, the child mage asked.

"Eh? Kazumi-San, is there something the matter with your eye?" Kazumi face palmed; the rest of the girls except Ayaka sweat dropping as well. With a groan of exasperation, the journalist shot an accusatory finger at the startled class president and declared heatedly.

"You! Her! Pactio now and fix problem!" Negi's face exploded burgundy.

"W-w-w-w-WHAT?! No, no, no I c-can't do that! I-I'm already doing a p-pactio with Ken-" The young red-head slapped his own hand against his mouth, but had done it too late as immensely intrigued expressions adorned his students' feminine features; once again Ayaka being the only one excluded. The only emotion crossing Ayaka's visage was confusion and growing irritation from the lack of her presence being noticed, _'They're talking about me like I'm not even here!'_

The news reporter, as if she was smacked across the cheek by a white glove, threw herself against the couch arm and stated over dramatically.

"The unfairness of it all! Why? Why did I have to pick today of all days not to have my camera with me?!" Negi and the girls blinked once at this.

"That would've been the best selling merchandise; second to those pictures of Kendra-San and Zazie-San!" Zazie's eye unnoticeably twitched, clearly upset at the fact that Kazumi had pictures of the couple…and didn't give any copies to the tan demon herself! _'We'll have to have a talk about that later'_ She concluded with a subtle hint of mischief. The cocky feeling immediately waned however when she detected a violent twitch in Kendra's direction. Turning a frantically worrying gaze to her fainted girlfriend, Zazie studied the magic sensor's form for anymore movements. Nothing happened for the next few moments, so the tan demon finally allowed herself to breathe again; just slightly though.

Having had enough of beating around the bush, Ayaka shot up from the couch and demanded with a stomp of her foot.

"Kazumi-San! Could you **please** explain to me why you all lied to me in the first place?!" Raising a scarily indifferent expression to the agitated wealthy blonde, Kazumi answered dryly.

"Because we didn't want you to know the truth-"

"THAT'S NOT WHAT I MEANT!" Kazumi held up her hands and chuckled nervously as Ayaka loomed dangerously over her; her teeth beginning to grind harshly and longing desperately to choke the living day lights out of the journalist.

"Now, now Iicho, no need for any violence. Come on, just breathe deeply with me. Breathe in, and out, in, and out…" The supposedly soothing mantra was failing its purpose miserably as Ayaka's eyebrow twitched with restrained fury. But when her emerald orbs looked over to see Negi watching the occurring scene with subtle apprehension, Ayaka forced her anger to subside and rubbed her temples tiredly.

"Kazumi-San…" The blonde started calmly.

"I know exactly what you're trying to do. Don't think that you can distract me from what I came here to find out. Almost the entire class shows up in front of the dorms, lies to me about going out to do recycling club activities, and then I find you all in Evangeline-San's cabin with serious expressions and surrounding Guinyard-San; who is unconscious." Kazumi broke out into a cold sweat as she suddenly found the ceiling very interesting. Unfortunately, Ayaka wasn't appointed the class representative for nothing, and saw past the journalist's deception with ease.

Kazumi quickly shot pleading glances to her classmates, in which all of them guilty turned away from; even Negi had directed his vision to his lap with slight shame for not having the ability to assist his cornered student. With waterfalls leaking comically from the news reporter's eyes, Kazumi looked upon one last friend for help.

Asuna felt a pair of brown orbs burrow into her and cringed from the pleading deep within them. The reluctant red-head cursed over her shoulder before taking a deep breath and whispering to herself.

"Kami give me strength…"

"Well?" Ayaka urged impatiently when she still hadn't received a response from Kazumi.

"You can't ignore me forever Kazumi-San. I know you and everyone else is hiding somethi-"A hand grabbed Ayaka's arm and began to drag her towards the door.

"Just shut that big blow hole for a second and come with me." Asuna grumbled irritably while attempting to ignore the blood leisurely rushing to her cheeks. Gaping at the suddenly commanding act, Ayaka was momentarily speechless as she led out of the cabin. Once outside, Asuna slammed the door closed and stared coldly at her gawking rival.

After a few seconds of stunned silence, Ayaka finally began to find her voice and stuttered.

"H-h-how dare you! Yanking me by the arm l-like some brutish gorill-"

"Just shut up for a second." Asuna ordered plainly; once again shocking the class president from the lack of offense to her insult. Ignoring the astonishment, the usually avid student closed her eyes and breathed in preparation. _'God I can't believe I'm doing this!'_ She screamed mentally before reopening her eyes and slowly raising her hands to clasp them into the prayer position. Shrugging her shoulders up in a sheepish fashion and cringing timidly, Asuna said in a rushed breath.

"I'm sorry."

Ayaka blinked owlishly.

"…Eh?"

"I said I'm sorry, Ayaka-San…" Asuna lowered her head a bit after repeating the apology, as her ego received a harsh blow from doing so. Performing the action left such an unsavory taste in the back of her mouth, but she had to do this. The fiery red-head knew for a fact that this would be the perfect distraction and, as much as she tried to deny it at first, Asuna had been meaning to apologize for what happened between them. The bi-chromatic eyed girl still believed that the argument wasn't her fault, but looking at how much the conflict affected her emotionally and the previous discovery of her feelings for the blonde, Asuna was willing to swallow her pride for once.

The atmosphere remained silent, and Asuna was slowly beginning to doubt the actual efficiency of her plan. Raising her vision nervously to meet Ayaka's, the red-head was perplexed to see nothing but frustration dominating the blonde's delicate features.

"…What? I apologized, what's the problem-"Asuna was interrupted by the unexpected feeling of Ayaka's hands grasping her by the face and turning it; examining the back of Asuna's head carefully. Asuna deadpanned before voicing uncertainly.

"I-Iincho…What…are you doing?"

"Searching for the battery panel, you imposter!"

"What?! Iincho, what the hell are you talking about?! I'm Asuna!" Asuna yelled heatedly while swatting away Ayaka's wondering hands; all the while irritated at the realization that she was somewhat enjoying the sensation of the class president's touch.

"The Asuna-San I know doesn't apologize; especially not to me!"

"Well I'm doing it now okay?! Just accept the damn apology!"

"People who apologize don't yell!" Ayaka countered quickly. Asuna bit her lip to muffle her scream of vexation and pulled on her pigtails; the bells in her hair jingling from the motion. After her brief tantrum, Asuna tried to go about the situation as calmly as possible.

"Look, I'm sorry okay? You were right, I shouldn't have held you. I should've just laid you in the bed and called Sebastian like you said-"

"But that's the thing!" Ayaka interjected; the previous frustration returning to her pale countenance.

"I wasn't right! Even Sebastian had to actually talk some sense into me!" Asuna gaped at this as a feeling of gratefulness towards the pompous yet trustworthy butler swelled within her.

"H-he did?" Ayaka sighed while unconsciously flicking her blonde tresses over her shoulder. A slightly guilty expression appeared across her face.

"Yeah, well, not exactly talk but…he was definitely dropping some serious hints. And he wouldn't stop dropping them until I finally cracked and approached him about it…that's when I kinda…told him what happened and stuff…and…" Ayaka trailed off with embarrassment tingeing her tone as her jade orbs scanned the forest beyond Asuna.

"And?" Asuna repeated expectedly. The class representative sighed once again before continuing somewhat shyly.

"And…he made me realize…that maybe I had…overreacted…just a little bit…" Asuna took advantage of the following awkward silence to absorb the rarely shy aura that Ayaka was giving off; oddly enjoying the sight all the while. _'Maybe this whole crush thing isn't so bad…'_ Asuna assumed before snapping herself out of it to respond curtly.

"Well, hey, I mean…I kinda overreacted too. I mean I really shouldn't have…said that." Asuna provided emphasis on the word 'that', hoping that Ayaka would understand what 'that' exactly was. Unfortunately, Ayaka didn't as she delivered Asuna a puzzled expression. The cherry-haired girl sighed; she should've known that it wouldn't be that easy.

"I'm talking about when I kinda stormed out the mansion and…said that…I can't believe I actually cared about you." Asuna coughed into her fist and looked away; cursing to herself as her cheeks burned a subtle pink.

"That was totally uncalled for. I mean, I really do uh…c-care about you, you know?" Now it was Ayaka's turn for her cheeks to flush. Her mouth opened but then closed, unable to find a proper response to the unusually sincere confession. Clearing her throat audibly, Ayaka started tentatively.

"W-well I…I guess you could say that I…c-care about y-"

An ear piercing scream resounded from inside Evangeline's cabin. Ayaka and Asuna shared mutual worried stares before storming through the door…

* * *

><p>Kendra, salty tears pooling down her cheeks and hands reaching out wildly, wailed her lover's name over and over with desperate vulnerability. Her hazel orbs were riotously pulsing green and gold and stared shakily to the ceiling; seemingly observing a sight frightening beyond words.<p>

"Zazie! Zazie, please! Zazie!" The tattooed demon breathing became erratic as she embraced the magic sensor with her entire might and ignored the sounds of panic emitting from her classmates. She joined her terrified lover's sobbing while gently planting butterfly kisses across her face. With each peck, Zazie whispered numerous soothing words under her breath.

"I'm here…I'm always with you…You'll never be alone…Just hold on to me…I'll make sure that everything will be okay…I love you…" Kendra's body sensed the physical comfort against her and automatically wrapped her arms around Zazie; unintentionally bringing her into a bone-crushing hug. The tan demon effortlessly brushed off the constriction however, determined to settle her beloved's sudden terror.

Negi frantically scrambled over to the couch and stared upon his new student with intense worry.

"E-Evangeline-San, what's going on?!" Several more cries, which Zazie noticed were now less fervent, continued to pour from the mentally stressing transfer student. The sound of the door flying open did little to draw everyone's attention away from Kendra; especially not Zazie as she still focused on whispering multiple intimate declarations for the magic sensor. Ayaka, unlike Asuna who immediately approached the couch, halted and gawked fearfully at the daunting sight before her.

"Shit! Move and let me check her over boyo!" The chibi vampire commanded sternly as she kneeled and outstretched her hands over Kendra's labored visage. The tan demon refused to leave her lover's side however, and when she and the four-century old vampire traded glances, Zazie uncharacteristically released a low, demonic growl. Evangeline simply scoffed at the threat and returned her attention to analyzing Kendra's psyche. It was only a split moment later that the mini vampire's expression cringed with annoyance.

"I'm not sure what's going on here, but it looks like some kind of crazy memory is driving this girl over the edge-"

"Then wake her up!" Zazie demanded frantically as her girlfriend's yelling continued to pound against her ear drums. Evangeline glared dangerously at the half demon.

"You think I wouldn't try that girl? I can't wake her up! Why else do you think I didn't do it the last time she was here?!" Zazie's teeth grinded as she, quite reluctantly, understood the dark mage's logic. It wasn't long before she quickly abandoned her momentary anger though to refocus on Kendra; her brown orbs bitterly tracing the descending path of the magic sensor's tears. The tan demon buried her face into the dark skin girl's hair before mumbling.

"Then what can we do?" Evangeline sighed before replying off handedly.

"There's nothing we can do except wait for her to wake up on her own." Growling in response, the tattooed girl remained motionless within the anguished magic sensor's embrace; her constant whimpering and yells shattering the tense silence gauchely.

Feeling one last and weak flicker of hope, Zazie raised her gaze to the vampire once more and asked.

"What about the pactio?" This time the small blood-sucker quirked an eyebrow at the tan demon; both of them ignoring the sputtering students in the background as Negi inwardly kissed his chance of escaping the teasing from his students goodbye.

"What about it?"

"Would performing-" Everyone in the cabin flinched as Kendra bellowed yet another piercing wail for Zazie. Makie, Sayo, and several of the more emotionally sensitive classmates began to shed tears of their own as the shrieks continued. _'Rumors or no rumors…Kendra-San can feel fear just like the rest of us…'_ Makie realized guiltily as she continued to witness the nerve-wracking scene.

Reacting naturally to the call, the tattooed girl reaffirmed her grasp on Kendra and tenderly pressed her lips against the magic sensor's own followed by her forehead, cheeks, and jawline. Most, but not all, of the girls restrained their fathomed sigh at the endearing action. Afterwards, Zazie carefully angled her vision back up without disrupting the hold and proceeded with her suggestion.

"Evangeline-San, would a pactio work or not?"

"Well…" Evangeline started skeptically as she raked her ocean orbs over the magic sensor's writhing condition.

"Boyo could try kissing the girl if he wants to. There's nothing stopping him from trying-"

THUD!

"I-I-Iincho?!" Asuna yelled as Ayaka once again began to faint right on the spot. It was one thing to have her classmates conversing gravely over a secret she didn't know of or for Zazie to speak and show more affection than she's ever done since the class president first met the acrobat, but for someone to announce that Negi, her precious Negi, was going to kiss another female; the blonde just couldn't take it. As if the poor red-head was always dragged into the same situation, Asuna caught the blonde before she made impact to the floor and scanned over her rival in slight concern. Asuna shook Ayaka but received no response; the pig-tailed girl sighed in aggravation.

"Why me?" Asuna's ears twitched as they picked up the tell-tale tone of a close by individual singing mockingly.

"Pedophile and monkey, sitting in a tree~. K, I, S, S, I, N, G-"

"S-SHUT UP, YUNA-SAN BAKA!" Instead of conveying her outburst in a menacing manner, Asuna's voice was an octave too high and her cheeks had an unmistakable crimson hue flooding them. The evidence of embarrassment only served to widen the dark haired athlete's victorious grin.

Evangeline face-palmed.

"Just take her up…into one of my rooms…" Asuna nodded before adjusting Ayaka in her arms to withhold the blonde bridal style. Attempting valiantly to ignore the eclectic leers that the fiery red-head's classmates were delivering her; Asuna swiftly sauntered upstairs.

Not paying any mind whatsoever to the awkward occurrence, Zazie continued to rest her face against the magic sensor's head while contemplating over what the vampire told her earlier. _'She said it was some crazy memory…I wonder, was it Anima's memories? Sh-should I even interfere?'_ Her cappuccino orbs stared pensively upon the suffering magic sensor's dark features. _'Just for a little longer; I only wait a few more moments. But if something else happens, Negi-Sensei will perform that pactio.'_ The acrobat's eyes momentarily flickered with determination as her gaze lingered on what she knew as an impossibly beautiful yet pained countenance…

* * *

><p>And there you go! Yeah, once again, I didn't QUITE get to some of the highlight parts of the story! But I'm working on it! Honestly! ^W^'<p>

Fun Fact!:

This super long incantation right here:

Uranicus abbas , commorantes of misericordia , quod immortalis filiolus of omnipotens ratio...Ego sono parumper reunion per igneus malum of abyssus...Quod clementia in ortus of suum vas…Terrenus admiratio of animus procuratio…Sanctorum ... judicium et omnis exercitus, qui sanguinat puritate vite. Benedicite habetote acceptatione ad servitium et da ei obvius ad lucem prohibentur mortales oculis! Meld et morph vestri novus Heroicis Shikigami!

Translates to this:

Heavenly Father, abode of mercy, immortal gods of the almighty ... I sound reason for a reunion with the fiery abyss of evil ... for clemency in the birth of their earthly vessel ... admiration of courage ...management ...of holy judgment and host of all that bleeds purity of life. Bless him with your acceptance to service and grant him access to the light forbidden to mortal eyes! Meld and morph your new Heroic Shikigami!

So yeah...that's about it for now guys! And I managed to at least squeeze in a hint to the mysterious whereabouts of the book: Legend of the Heroic Shikigami! So until next time, please, I ask of you...

CLICK THE REVIEW BUTTON. -.-


	28. Chapter 28

Wow...took me long enough, huh? ^_^'

**WARNING**: This chapter does get a bit intense at parts, well, most of the entire chapter is intense actually. So if you're a really sensitive reader, then I suggest you at least prepare yourself.

Alright, with that out of the way, I won't waste y'all's time anymore, enjoy the chapter! XD

Disclaimer: I do not own Negima or any of its characters.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 28<strong>

SPLASH!

Ice cold water clashed against his face instantly.

"Gah! Sh-shit!" Curling up on his side into a ball and attempting to recuperate with his own body heat, the startled parent drew in a hissy breath between his clenched teeth. Sam's pupils roamed around frantically for a moment, only to realize that his eyes were still lidded with fatigue. With the only motivation of discovering the source behind his rude awakening, Sam sluggishly opened his eyes to survey his surroundings. The southern man had regrettably expected to be reacquainted with the painfully familiar dusty walls and dangling light bulb of his and his wife's imprisonment; his theory was invalid.

Eyesight still adjusting, Sam could vaguely make out the fuzzy outline of something decently large, white, and stretching off to the right beyond his currently limited observing range. Not feeling the usual buoyancy within him to rush what his physicality could provide, Sam merely continued to stare ahead and wait for his vision to clear up. Amongst the waiting, a dull throbbing radiated from the back of his skull and flowed all the way to his temples. The grown man grunted gruffly from the sensation but knew all too well not to even attempt in massaging his cranium. He could easily detect that his wrists and ankles were restricted with those troublesome bindings; an aggravated growl escaped him.

Inwardly feeling surprised from his lack of reaction, Sam hadn't flinched in the slightest when a particularly amused yet sinister chortle emitted from nearby. An individual kneeled in front of Sam and leveled his crimson orbs with dark auburn ones; the latter's own shaking with rapidly rekindling rage.

"Wakey, wakey princess!" Before Sam could even retort with the most spiteful and hatred-filled statement that his aged brain could possibly derive, Deveron disappeared as quickly as he came; walking to some designated area behind the magic sensor's father. A mere moment later he heard the sound of liquid splashing followed by a yelp of discontent.

Sam's heart skipped a beat as he recognized who that screech belonged to.

With a burst of energy that the man had been building up since he first awoke, Sam flipped over to face his soaked and bruised wife. Despite the fact that he hadn't intended to, Sam was able to further observe the details of their current location. He was lying on a tiled floor, Shon was propped up against an old-fashioned dish washer, the white object that he observed earlier was now clearly identified as painted cabinets, and just a few feet ahead was the living room. The parents were in someone's house.

"Come on Sleepin'-not-so-Beauty! Get up!" Shon's right eye blinked rapidly in an attempt to clear the fuzziness in her mind while her other eye remained shut from the bluish-swollen flesh surrounding it. Her face throbbed painfully as a callous hand roughly gripped her jaw and forcefully directed Shon's gaze to Deveron's own. The fire manipulator tilted the woman's face from side-to-side, examining the extent of the injury that Poyo had afflicted upon her.

"Hmmm…dat bruise done went 'n got pretty damn big…Well, it ain't like it's gonna kill ya." With a dismissive shove of Shon's chin, Deveron stood straight once again and casually approached a set of cabinets located above the kitchen sink. Using only half of his attention to rummage through a shelf of cups and glasses, the ruby eyed male noticed the intense glare that Sam was delivering him. Unlike Poyo who grinned from the sound of Deveron's low snicker, Shon quivered out of fearful instinct.

"Don' give me dat look Mr. Johnson, it's rude to show disrespect in somebody else's place ya know." The taunt had done little to neither diminish nor amplify Sam's fury, but it did compel the southern father to request sternly.

"Tell us…where da fuck we at…" With a sigh that feigned subtle disappointment, Deveron pulled out two individual plastic cups.

"Again wit da rudeness; didn't ya mom teach ya any manners?"

"Where da fuck are we?!"

"Stubborn 'lil man, aren't ya?" A grin slowly crept across the boy's dark-toned visage as amusement rose within him. This time, whatever handling Sam had over his emotions was effectively lost at the sight of Deveron's smirk. Kendra's father jerked towards the sadistic boy as far as his bindings would allow and snarled dangerously.

"Tell us where we at ya worthless 'lil shit!" Clearly unfazed from the husband's outburst, Deveron simply shrugged his shoulders before trotting over to the fridge and setting the two cups on the counter next to it. He then reached into the refrigerator to pull out what appeared to be a filtering container full of water. Sam grated his teeth harshly as he fully recognized the disrespect that the fire manipulator was directing at him. An indifferent hum resounded from Deveron as he poured water into the two cups and approached his prisoners.

"Well den, if ya gotta be dat nosey den I guess it don' hurt for ya to know." He kneeled in front of Kendra's parents, trading his crimson gaze between them before shifting it over to his demonic lover. A cross between light recognition and reluctance crossed Poyo's expression before she nodded and held up one hand calmly. Shon, who was a quick learner when it mattered to her, frantically attempted to scoot away from the tan twin. Ever since receiving that viscous blow from Poyo, Shon became greatly uneasy whenever the half-demon performed the slightest threatening movement or gesture.

This reaction obviously brought a small yet triumphant grin to her face, but Poyo knew for sure that the reaction would intensify as her claws suddenly shot from her fingertips in a flash.

Poyo's guess was right on the mark.

A blood piercing shriek radiated throughout the house as Shon attempted to scramble away from the chuckling tattooed girl with feverish panic. The only things to escape her mouth afterwards were butchered calls for Sam's protection and the occasional shout of declaring Poyo to be some sort of monster from hell.

The sadistic couple simply observed the terrified woman as she finally reached Sam, who was also disturbed by Poyo's supposedly impossible feat, and rolled her body so that she was behind the grown man. Shon didn't even risk a glance over Sam's shoulder at that moment, as the numbing effects of her trepidation had finally rendered her appendages useless. Deveron and Poyo remained silent despite the desire they felt to chortle sinfully at the entertaining sight.

After a few more moments of the still atmosphere rippling lightly from the parents' labored and fearing pants, the fire contortionist started lowly.

"…Nice job Mrs. Johnson, I really was entertained by dat. Although dat scream practically blew my eardrums out." Deveron rolled his flesh-red irises before commanding nonchalantly.

"Cut 'em loose, love." Poyo nodded once as she kneeled next to Kendra's perturbed father. Inching her clawed hand closely to Sam's visage and harmlessly dragging it across his cheek, the tattooed demon scoffed lightly at his resolute yet anxious stare. Her auburn orbs stared intensely into the man's own before reaching behind him and, with a small flick of her wrist, severed the ropes binding Sam's hands.

"Wha…Why ya lettin' us go?" Sam questioned suspiciously as Poyo took advantage of Shon's temporary paralysis to cut her bindings as well without resistance. After disposing of the ropes around the married couple's ankles as well, the tan twin stepped away and returned to leaning against the counter in a cavalier fashion. The parents immediately flexed their aching and locked up joints, hissing under their breaths as a few small pops and cracks racked their bodies.

"Well den, how should I put dis?" Deveron began with a mocking tone as he set down the two cups and clasped his calloused hands; allowing his crimson orbs to drift towards the ceiling all the while. It was as though the fire manipulator withheld the innate ability to outrage Sam with the smallest of gestures, as the grown man in question sneered with fury. The young male made no attempt to acknowledge this however as he continued his casual charade.

"Y'all are grown people 'n…y'all smell like shit, to put it simply-"

"Ya ain't let us wash or take a shower for over two days!" Sam interjected heatedly. Deveron calmly raised a palm to halt the father's ranting; provoking little effort in cloaking the smug grin dominating his dark features.

"It's rude to interrupt, Mr. Johnson. Now, be a good 'lil pet 'n listen carefully."

"Ya son of a-"

"As I was sayin', y'all smell bad and there ain't no way 'n hell dat I'm comin' near ya smelly asses. Y'all need water to live and I do need y'all alive for now. So…" Once again grasping the two cups he had settled onto the tile floor, Deveron nonchalantly presented the parents their beverages.

The aged couple remained frozen however, the husband glaring tightly at the drinks as if they were live, slithering snakes while the wife perceptibly gawked at what she had been greatly longing for since becoming a prisoner.

Shon's mind had full management over her bodily demands for survival though, which was a rare occurrence on the woman's part. If her husband wasn't going to succumb to the taunting; then neither will she. Shon had remembered the lingering guilt and shame she felt when she had so easily accepted the Twinkie from Deveron. It was a moment of weakness, and even though Sam was better known for his stubbornness, Shon at one time was at least able to admit with pride that she had an acceptingly strong will. Finding an unusual spark of courage within her, Shon straightened her posture against the cabinet she was leaning against and narrowed her gaze with hardened determination. _'I won' do anythin' til Sam does!'_

Deveron arched an eyebrow at the parents' resilience, but it wasn't long until the corner of his lips followed suit to form a knowing smile.

"Oh? What's dis? Is Kendra's mom startin' to grow a pair? Never thought I'd see da day!" During the haughty declaration of his last statement, the dark skin boy rapidly shot his right hand forward; effectively dowsing Shon in water. Catalyzing the rate of his growing amusement, the inferno controller observed as Kendra's mother hadn't flinched in the slightest when the splash made chilling contact. Deveron hummed with intrigue.

"I guess ya really did gro-"

PACK!

"…" Poyo quirked an eyebrow with slight interest; she made no move to take action though.

"…" Shon's unwavering stare became shattered in under a second and was replaced with apprehension.

"…Now dat…wasn't smart Mr. Johnson…" Clenching Sam's trembling fist within his left hand, Deveron's flesh-red irises glared at the struggling man with frigid bluntness. Baring teeth that were grinding with animalistic fury, Sam panted harshly as he pressed forward with as much strength as his bicep would allow. The effort was proving fruitless as Deveron's wicked grin stretched to a maniacal width and began to gradually push Sam back; his visage expressing the little energy the action needed.

By the time Sam's back was firmly planted against the dishwasher, audible grunts signaling his rapidly creeping loss were slipping from between his clamped teeth. The two males remained in that position; Deveron hovering above with a deeply satisfied leer and just the subtlest hint of doubt finally beginning to seep across Sam's face.

As if an eternity had passed, when it was only a miniscule moment, Deveron limply released the father's fist and slowly crept closer.

"…I need ya alive old man…don' make me have second thoughts…" Weakly lowering his quivering fist to his side, Sam numbly nodded with an unreadable emotion clouding his dark brown orbs. Sam didn't even have to spare a glance at Shon to know that his wife was eschewing her vision from his defeated form; showing consideration in not witnessing the man's sporadically pathetic condition. Flashing his signature toothy leer once again; Deveron stated in a chipper tone.

"Good boy! Now, drink ya water while I get dis stubborn woman a refill..." The fire manipulator's strangely blended glare of annoyance and gaiety stabbed straight through Shon's flesh. This caused the older woman to inwardly twitch in pain as her rapidly depleting specks of hope experienced the full impact. Also, just when Shon assumed that her drive couldn't have been any further injured; it was nearly erased from existence when she witnessed Sam's next action.

With a devastated slump of defeat, the magic sensor's father grasped his cup of water with weak force and disdainfully raised the rim to his cracked lips. Halting just as plastic made contact with chapped flesh, Sam's eyes shifted to stare at Deveron's back with millisecond contemplation, as if he was mentally waging on whether or not to continue his rebellious and erratic behavior. The hope was quickly dashed away however as deep trounce cloaked Sam's dark chocolate orbs immediately afterwards and tipped the cup back; swiftly quenching the thirst that had been nagging at his trampled sanity for days now.

_'…I-Is he givin' up?'_ Shon wondered in distraught as her stomach clenched from the flips it was performing. Kendra's mother had never thought that she'd see the day that Sam, her unimaginably egotistic husband who would fight with a rabid bull dog and likely tear down a wall if he didn't get a daily dosage of his favorite beer, would be reduced to such a helpless prisoner; let alone by someone younger and was his daughter's only friend in middle school. Panic rose within Shon as the odds of the situation was beginning to weigh against their favor at an alarming rate, fully aware that she had no control over the horrific realization.

Feeling relieved that her frantic thoughts were halted but chagrined at the fact that it was because of Deveron's sudden presence, Shon jerked away by reflex when something smooth pressed on her lips.

It was a cup, and the inferno puppeteer was pushing it against the mother's mouth as he was intent on forcing the woman to drink the water. Shon's initial reaction was to remain frozen in shock from Deveron's sudden invasion of personal space, but then hastily yanked her mouth to the side and didn't allow herself to succumb to the southern boy's commands like Sam had. If her husband wasn't willing to be strong anymore, then Shon would have to try and fill that role until Sam came back to his senses.

"Now, now, y'all done had enough chances to act up today. Just be good 'n drink a'ready…" A sinister glow of delight continued to shine vibrantly in Deveron's blood hued orbs as he spoke this, finding the switch in behavior between the parents that much sweeter of an experience for him. If the next malevolent deed that he was planning to do went as smoothly as he assumed, then witnessing the resulting impact on the converted couple would be quite an intriguing sight.

Snapping out of his twisted musings long enough to harshly grip Shon's jaw once again and carelessly dump the water past her struggling lips, Deveron ignored the gurgling chokes emitting from her and stood casually. He turned and proceeded to pace down the hall which withheld a closet constructed into the right wall. Without turning to face the gagging wife and hopeless husband, Deveron ordered sternly.

"…Once ya done chokin' over there follow me…Ya should come too, love…" As if her facial motor skills had become fond of the movement, Poyo's eyebrow once again arched with skepticism. The twin demon still had no idea what her manipulative lover was plotting, but she hadn't doubted his judgment so far and she didn't wish to start now. Poyo promptly strutted to Deveron's side, who was delivering an unusually solemn gaze to the closet's white oak door. Noticing the odd emotion conquering her partner's dark features, Poyo, while simultaneously turning a curious gaze to the closet door as well, voiced in confusion.

"Igneus, what's wr-…" Taking in the full view of what had so intently caught Deveron's attention, the confusion tickling the hind corners of Poyo's consciousness manifested into a raging wild fire of bafflement. The unforeseen image had succeeded in even leaving Poyo speechless, for she had never expected the sickly wicked male next to her to be so entranced with such an insignificant aspect.

After finally regaining a handling on her breathing, Shon silently nodded in appreciation as Sam gently patted her back in worry. Shakily raising her orbs, which her bloodshot from the abuse her airway received; the grown woman was unable to primarily detain the reason behind the incongruous sight before her.

Poyo and Deveron were wordlessly ogling a simple closet door.

Repeatedly tapping Sam's shoulder, Shon whispered with poorly repressed uneasiness.

"S-Sam, w-what're they d-doin'?" Neither responding nor turning to face his wife, Sam leisurely rose to his feet and cautiously approached the lethal couple. Shon's mouth gaped in disbelief and horror at her husband's irrational actions and just when she attempted to reach for him, Deveron's flat tone sharply froze her.

"Dis Kendra girl really is fucked…ya know dat, right?" He mentioned this as if he was commenting about South Carolina's rainy summer weather, when in reality he was plainly pointing out the doomed fate of a pair of parents' child. Hearing their daughter's name prompted both Shon and Sam to abandon all hesitance that lingered in every nanometer of their bodies and quickly stomped up to Deveron.

"What're ya gonna do wit Kendra?!" Sam demanded with intensity, one that wasn't nearly as passionate as usual but still stern enough to prove his determination, as he ceased a mere few inches in front of the fire manipulator. Shon had decided against the fury raging within her to slap the taste out of Deveron's mouth and settled for standing beside Sam; showering the southern boy with a ferocious glare of her own.

Pretending as if the comments had traveled through one ear and exited through the other, Deveron ignored the father's query and slowly raised an index finger to the door. Both the parents' and Poyo's eyes followed the motion to realize his dark-toned digit was rubbing over a younger Kendra's bland face who was flashing a simple peace sign; forever preserved in the photograph tacked to the door. The finger then traced over to the other persona wrapping an arm around Kendra's shoulder, presenting two raised fingers behind Kendra's head, crossing his eyes and sticking his tongue out. As if reminiscing on the goofy image of his past self was pathetically hilarious, a deep chortle escaped Deveron.

"Hahah! Now dis one, dis one right here was fucked up from da very damn day he was born." The fire contortionist didn't seemed fazed in the slightest as recognition in what he was doing finally settled into Poyo's subconscious; causing the identical twin to scoff audibly and wrench her gaze away from the photo. Sam and Shon remained motionless however; feeling an odd muddle of aggravation, puzzlement, and inquisitiveness forcing down their questioning in order to hear more.

Deveron obviously retained the parents' reluctant interest and didn't falter in offhandedly attempting to fulfill their curiosity.

"Dis 'lil idiot right here…is what I call 'has been dealt da shittiest hand life could give'…Mr. 'n Mrs. Johnson…were y'all aware dat he was in love wit Kendra?" Stunned expressions overwhelmed the southern couple's visage and were rendered with the incapability to sputter a single word properly. Just the mere thought of a walking vessel of Satan himself having romantic feelings for their baby girl vacuumed all forms of energy from Shon's legs. With a hand cupping her gaping mouth, the suddenly nauseas and devastated woman fell to her knees with a dull thud, gripping the fabric of Sam's pants leg with a quaking hand all the while.

A whirlwind of fatherly protection overcame Sam as his outrage amplified exponentially and took yet another step towards Deveron.

"Ya stay away from her! Ya will nevuh come near my daught-"

"Don' get so full of ya'self old man…he doesn' love Kendra anymore. Well…at least da livin' part of him doesn'…" Even more confusion flooded Sam's mind, and the background noise of Shon's hiccups and sobs were not helping his thought processes in the slightest.

"W-what da hell do ya mean only da livin' part-"

"I…am alive Mr. Johnson…but Deveron…is barely hangin' on to his mind's life right as we know it." Completely aware of the perplexity greedily engulfing Sam, Deveron found his constant habit of prolonging an amusing reaction bubble within him instantly.

"…Kendra helped me kill Deveron…da girl just don' know it-"

"My 'lil girl would nevuh kill anybody! Ya just a crazy son of a bitch!" Sam interjected with hostility as his heart ached to attack the young male while the logic of his mind forced his body to remain still, as the consequence of death upon his fitful actions were a heavy possibility.

"Sorry to say dat ya wrong Mr. Johnson…well actually, I ain't sorry at all to say dat. It's just fact old man…Shall I continue now? Or will ya chattiness lead to ya premature death?" Sam gulped and balled his hands into violently trembling fists; the pit of his soul spilling over the brim with frustration and flummox. Deveron simply registered Sam's silence as consent and continued in a low, detached mutter.

"Deveron was a 'lil bastard hopelessly in love wit ya daughter…but of course, Kendra would nevuh feel da same since she's a'ready in love wit Zazie." The last revelation compelled Shon to abruptly halt her bawling and glance up with widened, puffy eyes.

Poyo had visibly flinched from her hunched position over the counter, as she had migrated there to distance herself from the distasteful conversation.

Sam's lips moved to voice a response, but then clamped together in fear that his mouth would betray his mind. _'I-I knew Zazie was a good friend of Kendra's 'n dat she…'_ Sam stole a quick glance at Poyo's stone-like form before eschewing from her direction, _'…Was more dan likely related to dat monster…but for K-Kendra to be in love wit…somethin' related to a monster…g-god I just don' understand anythin' anymore-'_

"…And let me tell ya…dis kid was takin' it hard every damn day. Da pain of unrequited love is one of da strongest forms of misery known to man…'n I was just waitin' for da right moment for him to snap under da pressure like a twig." A chuckle filled with a frighteningly high level of hollowness slithered from between Deveron's parted lips.

"And oh boy did da 'lil fucker break…he was dumb enough to tell Kendra his feelin's…'n sure enough, da girl slapped him right on da spot. Da kid was devastated…so crushed…so…full of misery…it was such a delicious awakenin'!" Creeping his fingers along the smooth surface of the closet and inching towards the knob, Deveron's crimson pupils glowed neon and casted a thin flesh-red glow across the porcelain wall. His lips stretched to a maniacal length and succeeded in flawlessly disturbing the parents to a significant effect.

"He was such a sensitive 'lil piece of shit…dat da shock of rejection 'n heart break sent da boy spiralin'…to da point dat he believed he was crazy when he started to hear…a voice in his head…" Deveron's calloused palm reached the knob and sluggishly wrapped an individual finger around it the same way a predating spider would enclose it's lethal eight legs around their caught prey; preparing to mercilessly feast on the trapped insect's flesh.

"…Da voice taunted him…promised him an escape from all da pain…an escape from hearin' dis persistent voice dat would drive any human bein' mad. Da boy caved…'n really, it was da worst timin' ever on his parents' part…I mean, come on. His sanity was rapidly dyin', 'n here are dumbass mommy 'n daddy waltzin' into his room…only to be da first to witness da death of da son they knew…" Deveron dragged his feet behind and then aside with his hand still firmly gripping the knob; finally facing the other three occupants of the house. The fire manipulator's posture became formally erect, as if he was arranging to present an amazing sight, and breathed a shaky chuckle as a click sliced through the thickly silent atmosphere.

As the door cracked an inch, a couple of heavy thuds banged against the inside of it. Sam and Shon visibly jumped from the sound as wariness slowly kindled deep within their gut. Disregarding the parents' belief that his smile couldn't have grown any larger, Deveron's psychotic leer did indeed widen as he released the knob.

Allowing the weight of whatever it was inside the closet to force the door fully open and collapse to the floor, the fire contortionist studied Sam and Shon's visage with a discernible eagerness rising as the seconds progressed.

Now it was Sam's turn to clamp an individual hand over his mouth and stomach while taking multiple steps away from what was in front of him. A strangled screech ripped from Shon's throat as she leaped back and desperately crawled away; salty tears cascading down her face in heavy streams.

"M-my god! Y-y-ya…fuckin'…d-demon! Satan! Devil!" Sam wailed as he collapsed to his hands and knees and stared at the scalded bodies with exposed patches of bones, cartilage, and sickly dark red flesh. Upon a closer inspection that Sam prayed that his eyes wouldn't have naturally done, he realized with churning disgust that the sockets where eyeballs should be located were especially scorched around the edges and empty.

The contents of Sam's stomach jumped into his throat and threatened to flow past his tongue, but the beyond scarred man forced it down and continued to rake his fingers across his shaven scalp; finding it impossible to believe that there was still sanity in the world.

An insane laughter exploded from Deveron's lungs and bellowed madly.

"And I ain't nevuh felt so damn proud of a host before! Dis kid was great! I didn' even have half control ova his mind yet 'n da bastard gouged out their eyeballs!"

Shon's form crumbled onto her back, desperately howling in despair to the ceiling with mumbled prayers for God's protection in between weeping wheezes.

"Da fucker did it wit his damn hands! And when I thought da boy was done, he was only startin'! He dragged their squirmin', pathetic bodies down stairs!"

Sam threw himself over the sink and reached for the faucet. He turned the cold water on high and stuck his head under the flowing stream, hoping that it would clear the violent waves of nausea crashing against him. The reality of it all was too much however, and he had little chance to stop the torrent of hurl from erupting through his esophagus and spewing into the sink. Retched coughs racked his body as he breathed raggedly and clenched his abdomen in pain.

"Den da boy clenched his hands 'round both of their mouths! Silencin' their screams for help! And then…oh man then, dis sick bastard just never ceased to make me proud! Wit a smile dat would do a murderer justice, dat fucked up boy's hands lit up wit fire and set da parents' insides burnin' to a crisp!"

Poyo, without Deveron taking notice as his wild outburst reduced his awareness massively, had resided to sitting on a couch and quietly smirking to herself. It initially worried the twin avenger when Deveron began to dig into a memory that left a jealous sting in the pit of her heart, but now that she realized the true purpose behind his mysterious approach, Poyo's admiration for the psychotic male only grew.

"Look at 'em! Dat boy roasted 'em like pieces of meat! Look at mommy 'n daddy! Look at his work!" A hysteric blend of hoarse and scratchy resonances leaked heavily into Deveron's voice and continued to rise with intensity; almost as if he was a tempestuous animal that was crazily celebrating over a delectable array of innocent souls to feast upon and fuel his ferocity.

Sam, with painful jerks of his torso, slowly turned to face the seared, black masses shriveled with leaden red crevices and exposed carcasses. With the cabinet as his only source of establishing balance, the disorientated man slid to the floor and stared frightfully at Deveron's excited yet crazed movements. _'H-he…no…it is gonna kill us in cold blood! Me…Shon…my 'lil girl, it'll kill all of us!'_

Casting a desperate glance in Shon's direction, which who hadn't ceased in crying out for a higher power's merciful light to guide her way out of this endless nightmare, Sam dolefully began to acknowledge their decaying chances of surviving the inferno distorter's wicked clutches. Lips quivering weakly, the extensively disturbed father stammered lowly.

"G-God help us…"

As if the whisper had instantly flicked a dangerous switch in the back of his mind, Deveron's cranium twitched violently before burning Sam's skin with his heat-hued irises. The fire manipulator's spine stooped forward and reared back his shoulders to display the posture of a threatening marauder; flawlessly succeeding in forcing a fearful cringe out of Kendra's father.

"Ya listen to me 'bout God old man…" Rising and descending each step every few seconds, Deveron approached Sam in an agonizingly sluggish pace; intentionally prolonging the swelling of suspense within the man's aged heart.

"God's mercy has been long gone…" With a shattering slap, Deveron slammed both of his hands against the cabinets located either side of Sam. Drawing in a deep inhale and releasing it with an intensely burning puff, the fire manipulator leaned closer to the grown man. His smoothly arched nose leveled with Sam's flatter one and eyeballed the father's visibly quivering form.

"…I'm in fuckin' charge of ya fates now…And as for ya wife ova there…" His pair of piercing crimson spheres rolled in Shon's direction; effortlessly guiding Sam's vision to do the same reluctantly.

"…I suggest ya stick real close to her from here on out…cause ya nevuh know when her time on Earth just might come to a sudden end...old man." A feral trimmer erupted within Deveron as panic rapidly ebbed into Sam's features; feeding the ever-growing wicked smile on his face.

The grown man's jaw shifted weakly, fighting to gain an upper-hand over the fear feasting upon his previous unlimited valor; no words escaped him however. Only fragmented and choked pleadings rolled pitifully off of Sam's tongue. This without a doubt frustrated his gallant personality to no end, which was crumbling under the pressure of the morose engulfing Sam. He once again roamed his gaze over the sight of his emotionally and mentally struggling wife as multiple visions of her possible, horrid deaths raced across his dark auburn pupils.

He was left with no options.

Lowering his head with a pain that seeped through every single pore of his body, Sam fragilely parted his lips to speak.

"Sh…Shon…" Unnaturally halting in the middle of her breakdown with a sharp intake of breath, Shon rolled onto her stomach and raised a watery gaze hinted with hope towards her husband. However, upon observing the absolute waves of defeat flowing off his form, the wife immediately dropped her head and bit her lip in preparation for what she feared Sam would say next.

Provoking little effort to clear his throat, Sam muttered in a dry, almost gurgling tone.

"D-drink some more water…Just…l-listen to what he…he says." Shon's back jumped with a heart-breaking whimper, the sound followed by her returning sobbing. She made no attempt to respond, and had unintentionally furthered the depth of the hole sinking into Sam's soul.

Deveron's malicious grin remained present as he arose to his feet; a proud aura leaking from his posture as he did so. Turning a pompous, upturned chin towards Shon; Deveron stated in a mockingly chiding tone.

"I'd listen to ya husband Mrs. Johnson…Y'all are gonna need plenty of water to help ya'll survive for da next few days…" Something psychotically hungry flashed in his blood-red irises.

"…Or less…dependin' on how da plan goes, ya know?" Not particularly expecting the response from neither individual, the fire manipulator traded glances between Shon and Sam as if he was searching for an agreement in the simple form of a nod. Deveron merely threw his head back and released a light cackle, finding their limp and silent demeanor's an interesting turn of behavior. Then, approaching the fridge once again to refill Shon and Sam's empty cups, he casually called over his tan lover.

"Poyo" Responding curtly to the request of her presence, the demonic twin promptly walked to Deveron's side.

"Something that you need, Igneus?"

"…Do ya hear it?" The question had taken Poyo aback, momentarily wondering if revealing the chain of devastating news and excitement had distorted her partner's sense of logic. She repressed the questioning of his sanity however and replied somewhat cautiously.

"Hear what Igneus?" Deveron's eyes fluttered closed and tilted his head, as if he was pointing his ear closer towards the direction the undetected sound was traveling from.

"Dat…sounds like sirens. Damn, looks like da neighbors done got nosey from all da noise 'n called da cops." Scrunching her eyebrows together with slight miff, Poyo attempted to shut her eyes and intently listen as well.

The rippling loops of sirens echoed gently against her sensitive, demonic ear drums; causing Poyo's brow to fly up with surprise. It was quite an impressive yet expected feat that Deveron was able to note the distant hum before the identical twin could.

"You're right. I'd say they'll be here in about twenty minutes." Deveron sighed as he straightened his posture and closed the refrigerator door with an agitated slam.

"Looks like dis place is scratched off our short list of hide outs…Whatever, it was bound to happen anyways." Turning to deliver the parents an irritated, lidded stare, Deveron commanded bluntly.

"Guess we'll be movin' on a bit ahead of schedule…Get ready for da ride ya two." With a relaxed trot and rubbing his hands together in preparation, the inferno puppeteer approached Sam and Shon. The imprisoned married couple remained motionless however, resulting in the other couple to scoff at the sight of their defeat.

Deveron ceased a few feet in front of Sam and gradually raised his hands with his palms facing the ceiling. Just as the dark skin boy was about to summon his flaming sphere of transportation, a sudden urge to once more prod at the parents' handling on reality and nightmare rose within him.

"Hey" Deveron called out nonchalantly. A pleased smirk appeared across his features when Kendra's father and mother raised their heads robotically a mere few seconds afterwards.

"I only said dat Deveron's mind was dyin'…not dead…Wanna say hey while he's still here? I'm a nice guy, so I figured why not?" It was no shock to Deveron that bafflement once again clouded Sam and Shon's worn countenances. Instead of proceeding to speak in riddles, the southern boy decided to spare any further stress upon their tattered minds and inhaled a cleansing breath.

In a millisecond rush of movement, Deveron's eyes closed and opened even faster than a natural blink. In that short span of time, Sam and Shon gaped at the absence of a red hue dominating his pupils. In its place were the endearing almond orbs that Kendra had remembered gazing upon during the bittersweet memories of middle school.

The alternated eyes initially surveyed its surroundings sluggishly, as if Deveron was just awoken from a deep slumber before gradually building up in their shifting pace. Soon his body began to mimic the panic within his eyes before Deveron finally landed his sight on the stunned parents.

A voice that Sam and Shon had thought that they would never hear again resounded with vulnerable confusion.

"…M-Mr. 'n Mrs. Johnson…w-what're y'all doin' h-" He gasped upon realizing the large bruise adorning Shon's face and raised a trembling hand towards her.

"W…W-what happened Mrs. Johnson?! God, i-it looks bad! Did ya go to da hospital to get it looked at?" Shon couldn't respond to the shell-shocking turn of events, as a war was raging within herself. Deveron's brow knitted together as he only received silence from the gaping adults. Just as the miffed boy was about to further enquiry the parents' uneasy attitude, his vision snagged onto the unfamiliar persona standing a few meters behind him.

"W-who're you? Why're ya in my house?! Wait…why're Kendra's parents in my house?! What da hell is going on?!" Deveron had resembled Sam's previous position as his hands also raked over his smooth cranium with growing franticness.

Finally, as Deveron turned to view the hallway withholding the open closet, his joints locked sharply into place and stared numbly at the burnt carcasses sprawled across the hardwood floor.

"…O-oh…oh my g…"

He stared deeply into the corpses' empty, bloody sockets.

"...I-I…d-dis can't…b-" Deveron's devastated stuttering ceased as he blinked once again and slowly lowered his hands to his sides. He pivoted on his heel to reveal the return of his gore-hued orbs to the astonished southern parents and muttered dully.

"Time's up…now let's get out of here before da cops arrive..." Raising his palms to the air once again, Deveron's visage scrunched with concentration. _'Let's see…da demon underworld will be a bit tough…but it shouldn' be too bad.'_

Shon curled into herself from wariness as she observed Deveron's actions closely while Sam simply continued to stare lifelessly at the tile floor; still attempting to comprehend the appearance of the young boy's true, trapped entity.

Poyo's shoulders tensed in preparation, as she knew this time that searing yet temporary pain would strike her skin mercilessly.

Agonized screams filled the house.

A roar of flames followed.

Four circular scorch marks was all that remained in the abandoned home…

* * *

><p>A thin, hardened layer of blood would coat her temple from hostile kicks and punches. She would limp down the streets as multiple bruises gradually yet painfully swelled along her legs. She would inwardly wince at the recognition of agonized tears streaming down her cheeks; no matter how hard she restrained the torrent of bitter emotions. She had endured it all during her duration of childhood, and now that the years have passed she truly believed that she couldn't ever experience a greater pain.<p>

Kendra couldn't have been more wrong.

A white-hot lightning strike of inexplicable pain was coursing through her senses no more than a few moments ago, rendering any discern of time and space temporarily useless. The magic sensor remembered Anima's father performing the life-threatening incantation, the divided mask of an unknown entity diving into her shared body, and then a blinding light engulfing her vision.

Indescribable power detonated within her and Anima, but Kendra couldn't quite recall what happened afterwards. Her sight hadn't registered anything more than pitch blackness and she felt weightless yet unbalanced; as if the magic sensor was floating along calm waves of a sea. The magic sensor had constantly wondered what succumbing to a coma would be like since she believed her father to be experiencing one, perhaps this contradicting situation of still motion was the answer to her despondent musings.

"D…Da hell just happened? Where a-am I…dead…No, I can feel somethin'…hard cover…flat. In my...side? Chest?" The dark skin girl was struggling to pin point where exactly the sensation of her foreign flesh meeting a solid object was radiating from. Scrutinizing what miniscule sense of touch she was provided, Kendra finally managed to utter unsurely.

"In my arms…Yeah, I-I think dat's right…Wait, da book!" She realized with rising relief as she was sure that she hadn't died after all. Kendra's reprieve decayed however when she also concluded that Anima's dreaded memories weren't over yet.

Her disappointment fleeted when a miniscule speck of white light came into distant view before gradually expanding into an endless, horizontal line. Dull eagerness to escape the lifeless void built within Kendra; yet she didn't dare to utter a word as if she believed her luck would turn on her for doing so. The streak of light remained shining insignificantly in front of Kendra and only wavered lazily around the edges every few moments; almost as if it was taunting the magic sensor's incapability to reach for it. As much as it irked Kendra to the point of grumbling irritably, she fought the urge and continued to patiently observe while simultaneously withholding a small grasp on the little hope she had.

Her tolerance was rewarded upon witnessing the white illuminations slowly begin to stretch wider and wider. Shimmering streaks crept across the black mass that was previously overwhelming Kendra's senses and, causing relief to course through the transfer student, soon dominated the surrounding environment.

A grateful smile, as Kendra imagined her visage would do, was spreading through her soul as she reasoned that the memories were at least momentarily halted. However, her guess was wrong as random blotches of peculiarly familiar, wooden scenery peeked out from the white void. The eccentric images began to peel away more and more of the porcelain sheet to slowly reveal the overall view of an oak floor board lined with chalk lines. If only Kendra had her own shoulders, they would've immediately slumped with despondent recognition.

"Da incantation circle…damn. So Anima really did just pass out." Her vision teetered from side to side unstably while also rising and backing away from the floor. Upon a sudden closer observation, the magic sensor realized that the entire section containing the incantation circle was darker than the rest of the floor.

It was charred from the intense amount of magic energy.

With Anima's eyesight still swirling uncontrollably, the past immortal cautiously observed his surroundings. When his shaky emerald orbs raked over the condition of his father's basement abode, he unconsciously gripped the sacred text within his arm tighter.

The multiple crates aligned along the walls were crushed into messy piles of splinters; indiscernible content having fallen out of them and splattered everywhere. Humongous, scorched craters had pounded its way into the support beams and walls as well. Test tubes and other lab equipment had shattered beyond repair and coated the floor with a thin layer of glass shards. Despite the remarkable damage his father's vicinity had endured, it still managed to hold up the ceiling and prevent it from collapsing onto itself.

Anima's orbs refused to cease in scanning his surroundings however, as there was still one crucial factor that he was searching for. Kendra initially couldn't quite pinpoint the reason behind the green haired man's rising anxiety, but once her shared eyes landed on the worrisome sight, she clearly understood.

A scrawny hand wrinkled with visibly blue veins lied limply on the shard infested surface; peering from another pile of disintegrated crates.

_"Father!"_ Quickly shuffling towards the mage professor's suffocated form, Anima kneeled down and fervently roamed his free hand through the splintered heap of wood. There wasn't even the subtlest hint of a flinch as the sharp threads of wood pierced his pale skin constantly, and he only fastened his digging pace when he heard a muffled yet pained groan emit from below him.

The paddings of his fingers finally grazed against rough skin, but it was also partially slick with a substance that Anima prayed that it wasn't. Removing the surrounding debris, both Kendra and Anima choked back a burning sob as they found the elderly man's bloody worn face. Without tearing away his distraught gaze, the past immortal continued to free his father of his timbered prison.

With his head and upper torso exposed, the bipolar senior gazed at his panicking son with lidded eyes and, after a few tense moments of blankly staring, cracked a tired smile. He attempted to reassure Anima, but wasn't allowed the action as he gurgled and felt the taste of iron rolling across his tongue. Individual streams of crimson blood flowed down the side crevices of his mouth and slowly pooled to the ground for Anima to see.

Kendra's soul felt as though it was being mauled by a merciless beast at the devastating sight and willingly gave in to the torrent of emotions as heavy tears leaked from Anima's emerald orbs.

"_F…father…"_ The past immortal called almost uncertainly; as his father's glossy gaze seemed to express a border line between consciousness and death. With a confident inhale signaling a transition to his cocky personality, the old sorcerer widened his smile in response; revealing sickly pale pink gums.

"_E-erase…thy's feminine tears, son."_ It took surprisingly little effort for the father to belittle and tease his child. The inferences only furthered Anima's bubbling anguish however and as the trails of blood continued to gently gush down along the senior's scruffy cheeks; regret began to hammer relentlessly at Kendra's shared subconscious.

"N-no…da old man can't die like dis!"

Seemingly unaffected by the cold numbness creeping through his system, Kendra felt Anima slowly lower himself and cautiously brought his father into a mourning embrace; disobeying the mage professor's command to cease crying.

"_Not like this father…Thy…th-thy can't part from us like this."_ A weak sigh brushed across Anima's right ear and was followed by a hallow chuckle. The elderly parent with a split personality used what little strength he had and firmly pressed his flat palm against his son's cotton sheathed chest.

"_B-back away son…and let me see the book…"_ Anima's mind raced with inner confliction. His natural habit of following his elder's demands were crossing swords with the desire to hopelessly cling and drink in as much of his father's presence as possible for precious remembrance. After an extensive moment of mental and emotional struggle, past Anima retracted from his father and presented the book with a quivering hand.

The young soul manipulator knew that as soon as that confident and proud smirk swept across his fragile father's visage, that the endearing expression would haunt his mind for years to come.

"_Ah…So it did w-work. I can feel…the holy power."_ Now that the crippled senior had noted this, Anima also began to sense the large yet viscous mass of magical energy emanating from the sacred manuscript. The air around it remained neutral and calm however; as if reality wasn't registering the mystical aura like the pair of males was.

"_O-open it, son…"_ Once again, Anima's longing to simply ignore his father's demands and embrace him with anguish throbbed painfully within his racing heart. Kendra fully sympathized with the immortal's desire; as the magic sensor thought many times of doing the same to her presumably unconscious father over the past few days. The transfer student could sense the green haired male's resistance however, which was quite the emotional feat, and observed her trembling pale hands reluctantly peel back the book's cover.

Unlike Anima and Kendra's immediate confusion, the mage professor gently lulled his head back and released a strained chuckle of relief. He then muttered a single phrase to himself in joyous disbelief as if his previous confidence on the efficiency of the spell was faulty all along.

"_Luojan…Luojan…Luojan…"_ Kendra had no idea what the foreign term meant, but could easily detect that Anima did.

"What? Lu…luo…luojan; what does dat mean?"

She couldn't even begin to guess any liable language that would promote such a word. The odd combination of letters and syllables, the unusual pronunciation, and the way it flowed from his bloodied mouth; it left Kendra utterly baffled.

"_Why would thy…p-pick now to speak in our old language?"_ Anima questioned with sorrow; believing yet apprehending that the senior's rapid descent to death was making him delusional. Struggling to draw in a cleansing breath, Anima's father muttered in a detached tone.

"_For I am…happy, s-son…Look upon th…look up…on…"_ His words suddenly slurred before gradually decreasing in volume; causing avid panic to arise within Anima. Swiftly scooping the flaccid, boney hand into his own, the soul manipulator squeezed it with as much gentle firmness as he could summon and stared down fervently at his father's lidded, glossy gaze.

Denial clawed cruelly at Kendra's shared sanity; that empty shine in those endearing, almond orbs couldn't have possibly presented the elderly man's passing.

He couldn't be dead.

"N-not like dis…Oh god, no! Wake up old man! Wake up!"

Her and Anima's mouth felt drier than cotton as it motioned hopelessly to voice their flooding devastation. The soul thief remained speechless as his entire body quaked with numbing despair and shifted his emerald gaze wildly; frantic from the oncoming wave of lonesome misery crawling its way into his heart.

Quickly dragging his quivering fingers over his father's eye lids to close them with finality, Anima used what little emotional control he had left and roamed his turbulent eyes over the new content within the book.

Ascent of Tractatori Vessel

_Beholder and Judge of Heaven and Hell: The Heroic Shikigami_

_Age of performed Right of Passage: 24 years of living_

_Kinsmen of Blood and Matrimony: _

_Abeo Tractatori, 52 years of living-Deceased_

_Stella Tractatori, 22 years of living_

_Gemma Tractatori, 6 years of living_

_Chapter 1_

_Upon performing the Right of Passage, the single blood relative and parent of holy vessel Tractatori, Abeo Tractatori, died from the strain of spell casting. _

Anima's brow furrowed. That sentence and the label next to the mage professor's name weren't present the last time he looked; which was a mere moment ago when his father was still weakly grasping onto his life. The small sphere of confusion lodged into his brain only melted insignificantly in comparison to the ball of fiery regret conquering every nanometer of his being though. Hunching into his form and falling victim to the ice burg of helpless emotions preparing to rock his heart, mind, and soul; Anima was astonishingly capable of muttering a few last, rational sentences.

"_Thy is truly…a mage genius of thy's own caliber, father…No longer will thy be seen as crazy for thy's love of sorcery. Thy's death shall be that of a normal…aging man succumbing to Father Time himself..."_

Just as Kendra primed herself for the rush of powerful emotions, none of it came…

* * *

><p>Zazie had been closely scrutinizing Kendra's expression for a few minutes now, and yet there was little change to the magic sensor's condition. The tears that were running down Kendra's dark toned cheeks had already dried; posing as painful evidence to remind the tan demon that her lover was previously sobbing her heart out. Just as the tattooed demon began to dive deeper into her guilt, a firm hand planted onto her shoulder.<p>

"Zazie-San" Setsuna muttered lowly. Tearing her gaze away from her unconscious girlfriend, Zazie glanced up with a questioning gaze.

"I know that today has been taxing for you and Kendra-San…but I really do think it's time that everyone knows about her…" Setsuna's gaze shifted to the ceiling, contemplating on what words could properly describe the magic sensor's unusual powers.

"Unique condition" Zazie sighed despondently as she scanned the surrounding curios and worried faces of her classmates. The tan twin was thrown into a conflicting position, as she didn't wish to betray the magic sensor's trust. However, the immortal inhabiting Kendra's mind was starting to create problems far more distressing than she had initially assumed. Casting an apologetic frown down at the transfer student, Zazie sighed once more before mumbling reluctantly.

"…We…haven't exactly…been honest with everyone a-about Kendra." Running her hand gently down Kendra's arm and firmly intertwining her fingers with the magic sensor's own, Zazie struggled to find a place to start. Now that she finally took a moment to actually think about it, there was so much that her classmates didn't know about Kendra. _'No wonder everyone feels so uncertain about Kendra…They don't know a single thing about her…'_

Experiencing a large twinge of sympathy for the unconscious girl below her, Zazie felt somewhat obligated to finally clear the fog of stranger-hood between Kendra and Ala-Alba. The disinclination was obviously expressed through her russet orbs and, being one of the first to take notice of this while descending the stairs, Asuna stated with a small hint of annoyance.

"Well, first off, Kendra-San really knows how to get under my skin sometimes…" Zazie's eyes narrowed in a warning fashion and directed it at the fiery red head. Her tan features softened though once Asuna continued in a more lenient tone.

"But…I will admit that she has grown on me a little." Seeing no wrong in displaying her own opinion on the matter, Setsuna casually stated.

"I second that. Kendra-San takes any chance she can to tease me about the smallest things, but it's always a friendly thing on her part-" A sarcastic chuckle from Asuna interrupted the swordswoman.

"Hah! Yeah, friendly alright! I bet she was real friendly slipping you that disgusting CD-"

"A-Asuna-San!" Setsuna interjected with a repressed yet noticeable hint of panic lacing her tone. Kazumi and Haruna grinned maniacally at the bodyguard's flushed expression and, with the powerful knowledge of vulgar assumptions assisting their mischievous train of logic, were able to easily infer why Setsuna had become suddenly embarrassed. The half demon in question felt the ominous stares burning into her form mercilessly and could only curse Asuna mentally for putting her in this predicament.

Smiling to herself and admiring the subtle humiliation that she had bestowed upon Setsuna, Asuna chose to feign ignorance and ignore Kazumi and Haruna's disturbingly predatory stares.

"Now let's see…What else can I say about our favorite little transfer student?" Asuna's form practically reeked with sarcasm and non-existent optimism as she clasped her hands together in an eager fashion. The red head may have admitted to herself that she had developed a soft spot for Kendra, but her burning rivalry against the dark skin girl outmatched the friendly relationship tremendously.

Raising her heterochromatic gaze to the ceiling for a moment to organize her thoughts, Asuna allowed a scheming grin to overtake her features.

"Her grammar is as clear as the sun is blue, she has a peculiar liking for perverted music," A meaningful glance in Setsuna's direction was indefinitely noticed by everyone present; including a currently amused chibi vampire who smirked and revealed a fang.

"She actually LIKES talking with Chamo-"

"Hey! Others like me too-"

"That's either a lie or you're delusional from smoking too many giant cigars." Asuna interjected effortlessly; her nearly neutral attitude evidence enough that she hadn't registered a dark aura radiating from a specific location.

Setsuna and Kaede didn't exactly need any help noticing or figuring out the source however. Anxiety crept into Setsuna's subconscious and groaned inwardly at the instant recognition of the specific leaking, sinister aura. _'Asuna-San baka! Shut up or you're gonna have an early funeral!'_ Kaede simply kept a nonchalant smile upon her visage; as she found the situation more comedic than anything.

Konoka and Negi sweat dropped.

"K-Konoka-San…shouldn't we stop her?" The child teacher suggested nervously. Deciding to answer his question with another; Konoka also whispered back lowly.

"Could we stop her? Asuna-San looks really into it."

"B-but the things she's saying about Kendra-San are a bit…well…"

"Harsh? Yeah, I know…But I think we know Asuna-San better than that." A bright smile suddenly graced the mage princess's rosy cheeks as her chocolate orbs glimmered knowingly. Negi replied with a confused tilt of his head before his logic shortly caught on to what his cheery student was insinuating. Swiftly shifting his attention to the ranting red-head, Negi inwardly hoped that the Konoe heiress was right…

* * *

><p>"What happened…O-old man? Stella? Gemma? A-Anima?" Kindling frustration trembled within her voice as the magic sensor called out for a presence; any individual that could explain her unexpected predicament.<p>

Kendra had prepared herself to experience a level of despair that would put the feelings of her past struggles to shame. And yet, as her subconscious became frazzled with disorientation, the magic sensor could only register the constant pitter patter of a light drizzle. Becoming quickly familiar with the sound, as the transfer student had heard it plenty of times throughout her life, Kendra whispered questioningly.

"Is dat…rain? But I thought Anima was inside da house…Wait…where am I now?" Due to the unpleasant darkness that had once again conquered her vision, Kendra had no clue about her location.

However, as Kendra began to further contemplate about the situation, she rationalized that there was truly no need to worry. The magic sensor had remembered what Anima told her upon their first confrontation within the endless, black void. If anything dire was to happen to Kendra's health, then it also directly affects the immortal; so the magic sensor doubt she'd be physically harmed anytime soon. It was the mental and emotional stress that was eating away at Kendra's endurance. Her confidence in facing these disturbing recollections had weakened significantly, and now that she's experienced only minor bad memories, Kendra wondered just how much of her rare, timid side had revealed itself in the process.

She found her answer as yet another speck of white light suddenly blazed into life; posing as the girl's guide for continuing her mental journey. Following its previous routine, the light expanded and slowly began to widen. As the widening progressed, Kendra realized that the sound of rain became clearer and louder; to the point that the transfer student knew she had to have been in the downpour.

"I'm outside…'n it's rainin'…It feels a bit chilly. So maybe it's night time…" Her conclusion altered however when streaking dots of bluish-gray randomly popped across the white spectrum. As more of the gloomy scenery began to dominate her vision, Kendra was able to correctly infer that it was still midday and a gentle storm was occurring. The magic sensor's sight was clear enough to decipher the multiple rows of tombstones embedded into poorly grown grass blemished with patches of muddy dirt.

"_Please, be more careful!"_ A male, yet sorrowful, voice ordered nearby. Kendra instantly knew that voice had traveled from her own, shared mouth.

"I'm in a graveyard?"

"_We apologize, brethren."_ A tan male of average height replied with restrained annoyance as he grunted and shifted his holding on one end of a wooden coffin. The man's short, dark hair was spiked wildly in all directions as though he provided little attention to it. A mildly thick five o' clock shadow cloaked his square jaw line and inconsiderate irritation shined within his deep blue orbs. Underneath his body-length rain coat was a simple, brown long sleeved cotton shirt. His black pants, which were made of similar material, stopped just above his ankles and were tattered around the edges. Surprisingly, his feet were bare but handled the slippery, wet surface with experienced ease. Judging by his appearance, the man could have been an offspring of two entirely different ethnicities.

Withholding the other side of the coffin was a blond man only a mere few inches taller; his attire an exact replica of the agitated manual worker. His emotions mirrored the other man's perfectly as a sneer refused to leave his young features. Huffing to themselves and continuing to transport the large coffin, Kendra's emerald orbs followed its movement towards a large, rectangular hole gaping from the ground. As soon as her eyes landed on the tombstone appointed to the burial, it was obvious why Anima was speaking in such a devastated tone.

The name Abeo Tractatori was engraved into the stone along with his dates of birth and death right below it. Kendra wasn't given a chance to mourn the sight as a hand solemnly clenched her broad shoulder.

"_Anima"_ Casting a gloomy glance to his right, they were met with a pair of apologetic, sapphire orbs. Stella gently placed her other hand upon Anima's left cheek and, provoking little effort to hide the guilt welling up in her heart, murmured lowly.

"_I am so…so sorry. Thy had done this in the first place to p-protect us all and yet…y-yet-"_

"_And yet my father had died because of me."_ Thoroughly speechless from her husband's blatant statement, Stella could only slowly retract her hand from Anima's visage and lower it to comfortingly grasp Gemma's small hand. The young girl's face was downcast and remained that way; unable to face the despondent event unfolding before her. Despite the streaks of rain cascading down her usually rosy but now pale cheeks; it did little to hide Gemma's tears.

Anima's empty gaze lingered on his daughter's depressed form, painfully absorbing a sight that many fathers would wish they never see. Tearing his vision away in hopes that his heart wasn't profusely mangled right at that moment, Anima forced his head to face the gloomy horizon instead.

"_Stella…this truly frustrates me."_

"_I know…Dealing with thy father's passing is not easily accomplished-"_

"_It is not only that."_ Stella remained silent, as she was capable to assume what else was troubling her conflicted husband.

"_Look around Stella…Tell me, what does thy see…"_ Even though Stella already knew the answer that Anima was awaiting to hear, she couldn't restrain her azure orbs from momentarily taking a sweep of her surroundings. As heartbreaking as it was for the family, a little less than a dozen individuals had appeared for Abeo's funeral. The commoners that were present consisted of people who either felt obligated to attend out of guilt or were genuinely saddened at the loss. Much to Anima's chagrin however, less than half were indeed the personas that cared.

"_Tell me."_ Anima repeated painfully as his voice cracked with heavy emotion. Stella's chest tightened as the evident distress leaked from the past immortal. Biting her lower lip nervously, the blond beauty's words quivered with a strangled sob.

"_I…I-I see…that the people a-are greatly disrespecting thy's father and…and our family."_ Kendra felt Anima's hands clench into fists and, even without looking, knew that his knuckles had to have been white from the force.

"_It seems that no matter what we would have done…the village still resents my father. If I had told them all the real cause of his passing…then father would still be seen as a crazy, dangerous man…And even when I had lied and said that he died peacefully in his sleep, the outcome was no better…"_ Kendra was startled to feel a sudden tugging sensation on her pants leg and directed a subtly curious stare downwards.

It was Gemma, gazing up at her father with a desperately pleading expression that had nearly knocked the wind out of him and Stella.

"_Daddy, can thy make a promise?"_

"_Of course"_ Was Anima's immediate response as he kneeled in front of his daughter and gazed upon her soaked yet childishly angelic features.

"_I would make any promise for thy. Just ask Gemma, and I shall keep it."_ A flicker of gratefulness momentarily flashed in her emerald orbs before abruptly dropping her gaze to the muddy soil; as if she couldn't bear to look the immortal in the eyes.

"_P-promise daddy…Promise me that there will be no more."_ Anima's gaze softened with slight bafflement and endearment.

"_No more of what, Gemma?"_ Just as the parents believed that the young girl had halted her sobbing, tears once again began to build behind her eyelids.

"…_No more dying." _Kendra's heart received a burning blow, the internal pain so unbearable that she had no doubt Anima's nerve ends had suddenly dulled from the psychological attack.

"_G-Gemma…"_ Stella stuttered almost fearfully as she, unfortunately at that moment, knew her husband well enough to guess what his response would be. Kendra immediately took notice of the franticness gradually ebbing into the wife's light blue irises and could easily sympathize with her. The magic sensor also had a sense of what agonizingly honest reply the immortal would give.

Gemma ignored her mother's call however, determined to hear her father declare his agreement to the promise. A long, shaky sigh escaped from between Anima's quivering lips before he tightly clenched his eyes shut with confliction.

"_Gemma I…I cannot fully keep thy's promise."_ Gemma's watery eyes widened with aching shock.

"_W-why? Why daddy?"_ His mouth had cruelly disobeyed his mind and refused Anima the ability to reply. Instead, the crushed father simply forced his gaze on the handful of mourners and manual workers that were slowly lowering Abeo's coffin into the ground.

Kendra knew why, and the answer wasn't as simple as it seemed.

"If only da kid knew…An immortal could never die…But then…h-her 'n Stella…"

The transfer student couldn't find the drive in herself to complete that sentence. Even if she did locate the motivation somewhere deep in the pit of her soul, the next familiar occurrence to happen wouldn't have allowed her to voice it anyways.

She blacked out once more.

A speck of white light…

* * *

><p>"A-Asuna-San" Makie called out nervously with a raise of her hand.<p>

"You've only listed off bad things about Kendra-San so far…I mean, sh-shouldn't you lighten up just a little bit?" Asuna cocked an eyebrow at the gymnastics girl and, with a huff, rested her hands on her hips.

"Hey, it isn't my fault that I practically know all of Kendra-San's flaws-"

"You don't know a single thing about her." Zazie snapped sternly as her grip on Kendra's motionless hand tightened. There was no doubt that everyone's attention had eagerly snared onto Zazie's subtly annoyed features; yet the audience made no move to voice their intrigue.

Yuna was the sole student who was trying her upmost to cloak any reactions she had to the red head's bantering. The dark haired athlete could practically close her eyes for five seconds and immediately recall the tense yet short altercation she had with the tan demon concerning Kendra. Attempting to look in Zazie's direction but not directly into her fellow classmate's eyes, Yuna wisely kept her mouth shut and only listened.

Asuna, her confident appearance not faltering in the slightest, turned to face Zazie and asked with a light chuckle.

"Oh, I don't? Then enlighten us, Zazie-San." The teasing tone in the fiery girl's tone irked the tan demon greatly, as the slight twitch of her right eyebrow proved it. Any inhibiting factors that were previously clouding Zazie's subconscious had surely been blown away with her rising temper. Attempting to calm her nerves with an inhale, which surely failed its purpose, the agitated tattooed demon stated firmly.

"Her so-called bad grammar is not Kendra's fault. She lived in South Carolina her entire life and the accent had naturally stuck with her."

"She can actually speak Japanese really fluently when she wants to." Negi added politely with a small smirk. Setsuna nodded in agreement.

"This is true. Kendra-San actually told me that she only chooses to speak correctly when referring to something important or special to her. It's just more comfortable for her to speak with a southern slur." Zazie made no physical gesture that she had registered the teacher and classmate's input, but she was undoubtedly thanking them in her mind and continued unfazed.

"And Kendra's preference of adult songs is only a small extension of her love for music. Did any of you even know that she has a box full of CDs and a stereo? Music is her passion!" The last statement had flowed from Zazie's lips with an intense finality. Most of the students flinched from her momentary outburst, unsure how to handle the unusual torrent of emotions exploding from Zazie.

Realizing the loss of handling over her emotions, Zazie briefly swept her fingers through her cotton colored bangs and inhaled once more. Asuna seemed to be taking the responses in stride however as she crossed her arms casually; a knowing smirk creeping across her lips.

"A-and…when I say that Kendra has the most…beautiful voice that I've ever heard…You'd think that an angel was whispering in your ear and gently lulling you to sleep." The dam that had served to filter her love and compassion for Kendra in regular units had broken right at that moment. Gazing deeply at her girlfriend's comatose visage; the wistfulness accommodating Zazie's tone rung clearly in everyone's ears.

"And as for Chamo, Kendra just… she just has this small attachment for animals…I still remember the time she cried when she saw a bird lying still in the grass…She had thought it was dead. When it turned out that the bird's wing was just injured, she actually tried to make up excuses and said that it was just her allergies." Kazumi sighed while rubbing the back of neck.

"I'll admit that I didn't exactly expect Kendra-San to be the…uh, sensitive type…But, lately…I don't think it's that hard to believe now." The Ala-Alba members delivered the news reporter quizzical stares; each of them wondering what it was that had altered her views on the matter. The journalist chose to ignore those glances however and traded meaningful looks with Nodoka, Yue, Sayo, and Haruna instead. This action also didn't go unnoticed and simply intensified their classmates' suspicion.

And yet, through the chain of events, Zazie still hadn't directed her attention away from Kendra.

"Well, I'm not sure what is that you guys saw to change your minds, and I'm really not trying to come off as the bad guy here…but I just want to know why Kendra-San has to be so cold all the time. If she's as sensitive as you say, then why does she hide it, Zazie-San? It's not like we're gonna bite." Yuna enquired cautiously, as she wished not to upset the half demon in the slightest.

Suddenly, Zazie's demeanor had shifted significantly as her shoulders slumped with sympathy and sorrow. She ran her free hand through Kendra's black hair and then along her right cheek.

"She's…gone through some rough times in her childhood a-and…it's just not easy for her to trust others…Kami, just thinking about it is painful enough…"

"Y-you mean the b-bullies." Nodoka mumbled with subtle guilt. Zazie's gaze finally left Kendra and shifted guardedly in the bookworm's direction. The minor statement seemed to have been the proverbial trigger, because Haruna took no hesitation in adding with a low murmur.

"They used to beat her everyday like…like some kind of animal..."

"She had no friends except for Deveron." Yue muttered solemnly.

"She w-went through a year of therapy a-after a tragic incident." Sayo whispered shakily as her eyes once again began to well up with tears. Kazumi sighed silently to herself while simultaneously restraining herself from glancing in her ghostly companion's direction; for the journalist would surely attempt to place a comforting hand on her shoulder if she did, only for it to tauntingly phase through.

"And also…this Anima person was the reason she had that therapy, am I right?" It hadn't surprised Kazumi or the other three girls in the slightest as Zazie scrutinized them cautiously. The expression waned however after a few moments and was replaced with immediate recognition.

"N-Nodoka-San…Did you read Kendra's mind?" The shy student's cheeks flushed lightly as shame from her prying actions instantly rose within her. The sudden change in complexion was a clear answer for Zazie and felt burning annoyance quickly begin to bubble within her. Just as Nodoka attempted to voice her reasons, Kazumi took a step forward and interjected sternly.

"Hey, hey, I know that it was an invasion of privacy okay? But don't get confused here; Honya-Chan here didn't even want to do it in the first place…I'm the one who pressured her into doing it." Zazie's mouth was clamp shut into a thin line; her fuming emotions still visible for everyone to see.

"So, if you're gonna be upset with anyone; then be mad at me. I mean, come on, you guys know me. I'm Asakura Kazumi, top notched paparazzi and I'd do practically the impossible to get my hands on a juicy story!" With arms thrown up as a sign of not wanting to argue, Kazumi stared expectedly at Zazie in hopes that her anger would subside.

Tense moments of silence echoed throughout the cabin until it was broken with a quiet sigh of surrender from the tattooed demon.

"Well…I guess it is sort of expected that you'd do something like that Kazumi-San…Just promise me two things." Kazumi quirked an eyebrow curiously.

"And that would be?"

"First…please, don't ever read Kendra's mind unless it's really important or you have her permission." The journalist nodded in understanding; as it was a predictable request on the tan demon's part. However, it was the second statement that had immensely thrown everyone present in the room through a loop.

"And second…If you really do have pictures of me and Kendra…I want a few copies of those." Asuna, who had made herself comfortable on the arm of a couch, couldn't restrain a chortle from escaping her throat before shortly succumbing to a small fit of giggles.

"Man, this is great! I may be a Baka Ranger, but I think I did a pretty damn good job if you ask me!" Asuna was rewarded with deeply baffled silence; everyone but Negi and Konoka inwardly wondering what had brought on the red head's sudden gaiety.

Taking a moment to wipe a few tears from her eyes, Asuna proceeded to take in a few calming breaths before continuing.

"Geez, Zazie-San, I could tell from a mile away that you wanted to say all that stuff about Kendra-San. But it looked like you needed a little push, if you know what I mean." A coy grin infected Asuna's triumphant features.

"S-so all those insults you said before," Zazie started with a disbelieving gleam in her auburn pupils.

"Was just to make me…explode?" Asuna clicked her tongue with feigned disappointment and continued in a sagely fashion.

"No, no, no; not to make you explode, but to get you to open up. Do you know how impossible that would've been back then? But with Kendra-San here, you've expressed yourself more than I ever thought was possible!"

"A pretty big coincidence if you think about it." Setsuna stated with a subtle hint of amusement.

"No fair! You're stealing my spotlight bird brain!" Asuna shouted childishly as her cheeks puffed out into a pout. Despite the offensive yet playful nickname suddenly bombarding the bodyguard's eardrums, Setsuna relented and attempted to ignore her friend.

"I had done the same thing with Kendra-San on her second day here. She was clearly upset about something but she hesitated a lot. So, like Asuna-San here, I pushed her a little…Although, I will admit that I didn't expect Kendra-San to blow up at me about it until I realized what it was actually about. It'd make sense for her to be so distraught about it-"

"Distraught about what? What the heck are you even talking about, Setsuna-San?!" Asuna yelled once again in annoyance; as the less than bright student felt irked from the Hanyou's vague evaluation. Setsuna's gaze immediately locked with Zazie's; searching for a sign that the tan twin would understand where the conversation was leading to. Initially, Zazie had no clue what the fellow half demon was inferring; however, after taking a mere moment to contemplate, her deep brown irises widened with recognition.

Setsuna's gaze softened with understanding as Zazie, with a nervous shake of her head, silently pleaded the swordswoman to keep the situation concerning Kendra's father unknown. With a slightly playful arch of her right eyebrow, Setsuna shifted her vision in Asuna's direction.

"That's enough prying on Kendra-San's personal life for now, Asuna-San. We all are getting sidetracked from what's really important." Setsuna then looked to Kazumi; her expression expertly shifting to one of tense resoluteness.

"Isn't that right, Kazumi-San? I believe you said that Anima is going to cause a lot of trouble for us."

"Ah, r-right; well uh," The journalist stammered for a few moments; as her endurance against the significantly urgent yet solemn intervention was wearing thin as the seconds passed. The news reporter may have the ability to approach a grave situation with an appropriate attitude, but not for such a long period. Combining the uncomfortable emotional shifting with her journalist persona attempting to organize the rush of information on Kendra, Kazumi wouldn't be surprised if she'd suddenly collapse from the taxing strain all of it. Taking a minute of silence to herself, Kazumi was finally able to rearrange her jumbled thoughts well enough to channel her focus on Anima.

"We had learned some things about Anima…and that he has a dangerous enemy that could come after us and maybe even the entire school...Perhaps even more than that."

"…Proceed." Setsuna muttered as her intense onyx pupils burned into the equally serious journalist.

Using the mass of students as a cloaking advantage, Yuna idly stood behind her classmates and leaned against the wall with her arms crossed. Her brownish-red orbs were misty with confliction as she began to have second thoughts about her previous views on Kendra…

* * *

><p>She stared heatedly into a pair of hysterical ruby irises; her breath hitching painfully with each inhale.<p>

The persona below her chuckled with weakened hubris.

"_A-a penny for thy's thoughts? Thy's scythe lies upon my neck, finish it."_ Kendra's grip tightened significantly around the shaft of her weapon and pressed the curved edge of her blade farther into his skin.

"_Silence, thy retched demon! Thy's life is at the mercy of my blade now!"_

"_Then show no mercy! End it!"_ As the defeated male began to sit forward with eagerness, the scythe resting against his neck forced him back to the ground; a bead of blood trickling from the fresh cut.

"_Why does thy wish me to end thy's life?"_ There had been no real reason for Anima to ask such a question; he only ventured to satisfy his curiosity. In response, the beaten and bruised individual threw his head back and released a gurgling chortle.

"_For we are one in the same, brother!"_

"_I am not thy's brother!"_ Just as before, the cackling man shifted forward but was forced down with a rough shove of the blade. Boiling waves of rage swirled in Kendra's heart as the psychotic words continued to flow from the man's bloody lips.

"_Yes! My brother thy is! We both amount to a greatness that no mortal could ever achieve! If it be any man to kill me, it be my equal! Thy is an immortal! My equal-"_

"_We are none alike, Igneous!"_ Anima seethed with a booming yell as the rims of his pupils illuminated neon green.

"_Thy had made a deal with the Devil! Thy is composed of none but sinful evil! For that…we will never be alike! Thy will never be a true immortal!"_ Kendra took note that the last statement had jolted a disturbing reaction out of Igneus. His lips twitched unnaturally before a maniacal smile slithered across his tan, dirtied visage.

"_That be where thy is wrong! The Devil is more powerful than any god thy kneel and pleas to for power!"_ The twin crimson gems within his skull began to shake with insanity.

"_I have been bestowed amazing power in return for my soul! And with it, I was given the ultimate blessing, immortality!"_

"_Thy is a fool for making such a deal!"_ Anima interjected as his teeth grinded with disappointment and fury.

"_Sputter what thy wishes!"_ A flurry of saliva and blood fluttered from Igneus' mouth; the remains dribbling down his chin in a steady cadence.

"_Kill me and thy will see! My immortality is nearly undoable! Finish me! For I will only hunt thy until I finally have thy's head as a trophy!"_

"_My blade remains still until thy's answered my questions!"_ Anima commanded firmly with yet another prodding stab of his scythe.

"_How did thy acquire these powers?"_ Despite the numbing pain the action must have caused, Igneus filled his lungs to the brim before exploding into an insane bout of laughter; bellowing in the green haired immortal's face mockingly.

"_My powers are amazing, are they not?! The ability to control fire and misery! A mortal could succumb to my influence instantly and commend to my every wish! I was nothing less than an almighty king!"_

"_Thy is nothing more than a waste of existence!"_

"_A waste!"_ Igneus repeated almost instantly as maniacal eagerness began to flare throughout his broken body.

"_A waste thy says! Thy does not know what a real waste is…A real waste was when I lost the chance to get my hands on Stell-Uff!"_ The crazy male coughed painfully as Anima's boot stomped against his abdomen mercilessly. The angered soul manipulator continued this action a few more times before reaching down and tossing Igneus so that he was lying on his stomach. Violently planting a foot on the center of the twisted man's back, Anima placed the inward curve of his scythe's blade along his neck once more; prepared to decapitate Igneus at any moment.

"_My wife's name shall never again be on thy's tongue, heathen!" _

"_Oh come now, brother! Thy cannot forget what happened! Thy shouldn't be upset, it was a natural need! A grown, beautiful woman alone and needing attention; did thy truly believe that she was forced?"_ Even with Igneus' back facing Anima, the emerald eyed immortal knew all too well that a sinister grin was plastered across his bruised face.

"_I had only told my puppet to lure her! To draw her in! Stella took it willingly, brother!"_ Kendra felt her grip on the handle shift subtly, angling the blade more appropriately against Igneus' jugular vein. Anima's lips trembled as they peeled apart to reveal a dangerous snarl. The answers he previously longed to hear had dwindled in importance instantly.

"_This puppet that thy speaks of…was that man?!"_ Raising his head a little to flash an impish, gore-red stare at Anima, Igneus cackled once more.

_"Thy has finally reached enlightenment! How does it feel, broth-"_

The blade rose correspondently with the ascent of Anima's right arm. As cold steel came into contact with the blood coated, tan surface of Igneus' neck, the soul manipulator's whisper shook with blinding wrath.

"_Thy…is not my brother." _

Anima swiftly yanked the scythe back.

Kendra blacked out yet again.

A speck of white light…

* * *

><p>"…And she didn't want any of this, right? Kendra-San was just…born with it?" Yuna confirmed cautiously as the others bowed their heads in deep thought. Kazumi, Setsuna, and Zazie simply nodded, unable to currently find the motivation within them to speak.<p>

With the truth behind Kendra's abilities briefly explained; there had been an overall silent reaction on the members of Ala-Alba's part. None of the students would immediately admit it, but now their feelings were beginning to mirror Nodoka's own when she, the paparazzi duo, and her roommates had read Kendra's mind.

"So…w-what about Igneus?" Makie asked fearfully as a chill traveled up her spine; already apprehensive about the possibility of being pursued by an evil immortal. Performing the action in a nearly synchronized motion; all the students in Evangeline's cabin directed their attention to Negi.

The child teacher had not flinched in the slightest when the eclectic pair of eyes suddenly focused on him; as his mind was buzzing with multiple different approaches to the situation, only for them to be immediately rejected. Finally, after experiencing a few tense minutes of grave silence, the young mage sighed deeply before stating firmly.

"I believe…that we cannot do anything until we find a way to deal with Anima first. If we do that, than we might just have a chance against Igneus, if he is indeed a real threat."

"Well…we already have one theory." Zazie suggested with a large amount of reluctance gushing from her expression and body language. Negi sighed once more at the sight; he truly didn't wish to meddle with his students' romantic affairs, but with the responsibility of protecting his class, Negi saw that he had no choice.

Rising from his seat next to Konoka, Negi slowly approached Kendra's still form…

* * *

><p>"<em>In honor of saving our village…I proclaim that Anima Tractatori, guardian of our homeland, protector of the innocent, and pure knight of this land...shall be rewarded with the rank of Master Mage!"<em> Moving slowly yet gracefully in his silk, white robe, the priest descended the steps of the church altar and stood in front of a kneeling Anima. His pasty, frail hand gently landed on the back of the soul manipulator's head; embedding itself in his lush green locks.

A sacred moment of empowering silence rung throughout the church filled to the brim with grateful and honored villagers. Every head present in the building had bowed; as if they felt too inferior to shift their gaze up.

Finally, the priest removed his wrinkled, trembling hand before clasping it flatly against the other to form a prayer gesture. Anima slowly raised his vision and leveled it with the smiling, superior old man; lifeless emerald orbs searching for some kind of god given answer within his tired, cappuccino ones. The soul manipulator found none unfortunately, but easily cloaked the disappointment from his appearance and instead presented an air of success and gratitude for the audience to indulge in.

Kendra blacked out once again.

A speck of white light…

* * *

><p>"<em>Was it true?"<em>

_"…"_

_"What Ignues had told me that day, was it true, Stella?"_

_"A-Anima…I'm sorry I just-"_

_"Thy just what?!"_ A table flipped over with a loud bang.

_"Thy just thought it was fine to betray me?! I have done so much for this family! And this is how thy repays me?!"_ More furniture was overturn; broken sobbing ensued.

_"Anima, please! Gemma will hear-"_

_"How could thy do this to me?! Was I not a good husband?! Our money is better! Our lives have become so much easier! I gave thy and Gemma everything-"_

_"Thy's changed!"_ Anima momentarily paused; glaring heatedly at his crying wife but made no attempt to voice a reply. Stella weakly collapsed to her knees and pressed her hands to her face; thin streams of tears cascading between her fingers.

_"Thy is no longer the man I had fallen in love with!"_ Desperately dropping to his knees as well, Anima clutched Stella's arms and stared intensely into her covered face.

_"But I am still me! I am still the Anima thy holds matrimony with-"_

_"No, Anima! When thy performed that damned incantation, my husband died as well! Thy is not my husband!" _

_"M-mommy? What's wrong?" _The voice of her daughter only furthered Stella's distraught and continued to wail loudly into the soul manipulator's chest. Anima gulped before carefully turning to face Gemma; never releasing his grip on Stella while doing so.

_"Gemma…j-just go back to bed."_

_"But-"_

_"Bed, now!"_ Gemma bit her lip nervously and lowered her head; hurt by her father's unusually harsh tone. The young child obeyed however and immediately scampered up the stairs of their newly built house.

Kendra blacked out.

A speck of white light…

* * *

><p>Yeah, let me just tell you guys, it was not easy for me to type this chapter. But here's a little translation thingy! :D<p>

'Luojan'

Translates to this:

'Thank God'

So yeah, I believe that's everything I need to say right now. So..please...I ask of you...

CLICK THE REVIEW BUTTON. -.-


	29. Chapter 29

Jesus Christ...

...

...

...Took me long enough, huh? I deeply, DEEPLY apologize for such a long wait! I had the worst writer's block known to man and I was too distracted by school(getting ready for college, taking the SAT, making resumes, getting my Letters of Recommendations done, yadda, yadda, yadda). So yeah, I really hope I didn't lose too many readers because of my super late update. Again, I'm honestly sorry for the wait.

Disclaimer: I do not own Negima or any of its characters.

**WARNING: Just like Chapter 28, this chapter is intense as well. If you are a sensitive reader, then I suggest you at least prepare yourself.**

Okay then, I hope you enjoy! :)

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 29<strong>

TAP…TAP…TAP…

A lethally sharpened nail drummed sluggishly against a worn, stone surface; the repetitive sound echoing throughout the spacious yet hallow vicinity.

TAP…TAP…TAP…

Attached to the beating talon was a lengthy, tan hand with freshly black tribal tattoos embedded in the skin. Starting at the junction between the restless hand and forearm was the gaping maw of a ferocious jaguar's side profile; it's finely detailed whiskers flaring out warningly. Jagged claws were protruding from its fore paws and reached out for whatever doomed soul had been at the mercy of the owner's grasp.

The tapping resounded just a tad louder.

TAP!...TAP!...TAP!

The viscous mammal's ink-print body elongated up the man's right bicep before ensconcing his shoulder with a swirling tail; the jaguar's hind legs completely absent. Embroidered upon his left arm was a hauntingly tattered owl presenting the opposite side profile and, as a result, would have both inkling designs facing each other if the man were to simply extend both arms forward. The owl's upper beak was bent back to a nearly unnatural angle; giving off the idea that it was screeching madly.

His finger jittered even faster as rare agitation began to creep within him.

TAP, TAP, TAP!

Despite his apparently athletic build, the man remained seated; as his actual physical strength had lacked significantly. He leaned further back into the gentle inward arch of his throne and directed a silent sigh to the vast and endless pool of darkness lurking above.

Finally, surrendering to the impatience tugging at his musings, the man's brow ticked ever so subtly as his deep gray irises fluttered closed. A command conjured within his subconscious before it was sent onto a mental wave; it's destination being the mentality of a different persona.

'_Aldren, proceed to enter my lair.'_

A guard of similar skin complexion, skinny build and reaching at a staggering height of nearly seven feet, was standing astutely next to the gaping entrance of his superior's personal vicinity before he suddenly perked up as the telepathic request rushed into his mind. With the swift rigidness of a veteran servant, the entry guard promptly approached the agitated clan leader and bowed respectfully. Instead of parting his thin lips to speak, the servant chose to remain conversing through thoughts; as it was his master's favored method.

'_You have summoned me, Leono-Sama?'_

'_Goro has yet to return. Do you know if there was an unknown change of destination, Aldren?'_

'_We share equal wonders, Leono-Sama.'_

'_I see…' _Leono drawled distractedly; his impatience continuing to rise with bland vigor. Aldren's existence seemed to have been ignored for a thoroughly silent few minutes, and yet the vertically gifted demon made no attempt to move. Finally taking note of his reluctance to leave, Leono quipped knowingly.

'_There is no need to worry of my condition, Aldren.'_ Apparently Aldren was accustomed to Leono's accurate assumptions; as he had not flinched in the slightest.

'_I see that you have not risen from your thrown Leono-Sama…Would it be wrong to think that your lower body is weak at the moment?'_ A deep chuckle echoed endlessly through the room and hallways of the massive, underground complex. Leono shifted forward in his royal throne and gazed upon his loyal subject blankly; the expression mixing poorly with his faint chortles.

'_I admire your observant nature Aldren. If you were any other servant, they may have never taken notice...'_ Leono had suddenly drifted off with an usually solemn sigh as wrinkles appeared across his forehead and revealed the truth behind his age. Aldren didn't dare to believe the clan head's depressive emotions however, as the entire demon tribe was aware of Leono's significantly numb and barren sentimentality.

'_Has it ever fleeted through your thoughts Aldren…That one day my heart would stop functioning as I sit upon my throne?'_ There had been no hints of fear or anxiety lacing Leono's tone; it remained chillingly monotonous.

'_I am sorry to admit that I have indeed mused about these possibilities, Leono-Sama.'_ Leono simply waved his hand dismissively.

'_Do not waste your breath with unnecessary apologies. It is a common thought for all of my demon subjects.'_ Taking this chance to stand fully erect, Aldren decided to bravely, yet inwardly, voice a question that had been nagging his mind at that very moment.

'_Leono-Sama, forgive my abruptness and irrelevance for asking but…when your time does indeed come, who shall inherit the responsibilities of clan head if your daughters will not?'_ Aldren was well aware of the danger of asking a question not related to the current situation; as Leono greatly disapproved of illogical conversation. So it was no surprise to the demon servant when he received a warning glare from his superior.

'_The matter will be handled on my own accord. Your curiosity is best left unspoken, Aldren…Do I make myself clear?'_ Once again showing little emotional reaction, Aldren responded curtly.

'_Of course, Leono-Sama. My deepest apol-'_ Aldren's still form suddenly jerked as he sensed a familiar presence appear in another, distant section of the subversive compound. Judging from Leono's similar reaction, he had noticed the recognizable existence as well. As convenient as it was, Leono didn't question the fact that his legs had finally regained some strength within them and slowly stood from his stone throne. Aldren automatically understood his superior's actions and promptly walked to Leono's right side with a wary hand planted firmly onto his shoulder. The clan leader momentarily staggered but remained on balance with the assistance of his loyal subject.

'_It seems that I have fretted for nothing. It was simply a tardy arrival.'_ Aldren nodded in agreement.

'_It was…However, Goro has never been this late before. Do you believe something has happened, Leono-Sama?'_

'_If it is an answer you seek, than I suggest we do not stay idle for long.'_

'_Of course, Leono-Sama'_ Stumbling once again on his first step but regaining his bearings afterwards, Leono subtly limped towards the gaping exit; Aldren trailing his leader from a few feet behind.

A towering cave wall, which had seemingly closed off the only route exit from the underground complex, suddenly began to ripple with a pixel-like blue aura. Blunt spikes then sluggishly stretched from the rock surface; as if an unknown, erratic force from the other side was prodding it continuously before they all abruptly collapsed into themselves and created a small pool of energy influx. Amongst the short incursion, a large and pale green monster leapt forth and collapsed miserably onto the cavern ground.

A long yet weak growl resounded from Goro as his wary, beady eyes shifted around in alarm. The ignorant beast didn't have the slightest clue pertaining to his rapidly deteriorating bodily functions, which were undoubtedly increasing in decent due to Goro's frustration. Despite the fact that he could feel and use his legs once again, the mind numbing pain that followed was unbearable. The toxins from Mana's copper-needle bullet was now coursing through his entire system and doing a torturous number on Goro's canine structured body.

Releasing yet another grumbling whimper, Goro initially failed to notice the slow approach of his master and servant.

Aldren cautiously lowered the clan head's form before letting go; allowing Leono to kneel and fully face his suffering pet and absorb his ragged condition.

Goro's breathing was labored and left his heaving chest in short, quick puffs. His skin, which used to be a vibrant green, was significantly paler to the point of near transparency. The veins on the sack of his hunched back pulsed at a worryingly slow rate; a signal that his heart was surely failing right at that moment. Groans of aching pain endlessly poured from the demon's lazily parted maw.

Placing a cold, callous hand upon Goro's quivering shoulder, Leono felt a slick substance meet against the padding of his fingers. The monster's blood, which was unnaturally thick and dark, leaked from a tiny hole in his flesh and cascaded down the simple-minded creature's arm. Staring blankly at the syrupy life essence smeared on his fingers, Leono sighed outwardly before questioning in his thoughts.

'_Goro…what has caused this?'_ Goro's head raised a mere centimeter before shortly falling back down in defeat. His beady orbs slightly softened with vulnerability and stared up pleadingly at his master.

'_Master…Me find lost girl. Me find lost heir.'_ Leono's eyes widened just slightly at the revelation while Aldren remained oblivious, as he respected the privacy of their conversation and didn't intrude with his own thoughts. With Goro's immense pain clouding the little social rationality he had, he simply continued to relay information without pause.

'_Me find lost girl with another girl…Other girl turn green, master…Other girl hurt me but me escape. M-me attacked by another girl…banging sound and pain; it was poison, master…i-it hurts master. Make pain go away, master, make pain go away…'_ An agonized snarl rumbled deep in Goro's chest; proving Leono's suspicion that his pet was indeed a goner. However, he held no guilt as he assured the beast calmly.

'_That is enough, Goro. Do not stress yourself…I shall have my medic servants direct you to a separate area. They will rid you of this pain…and make it go away.'_ Without warning, Leono stood up with ease as he shifted a placid expression in Aldren's direction.

'_Call forth two of my most trustworthy subordinates…and have them quickly dispose of Goro.'_ Aldren finally expressed a flicker of emotion as his eyebrows rose with disbelief.

'_Leono-Sam-'_

'_Goro's chances of survival are non-existent, Aldren…This is for the best.'_ His tan features reverting back to an expression of passive blandness, Aldren swiftly bowed.

'_Of course, Leono-Sama.'_ Still unaware of his fate, Goro continued to shower Leono with his piteous, begging gaze; his loyalty and faith in the clan head was practically boundless. Leono paid no heed to the stare as he turned his back to the dying creature and slowly sauntered down the narrow halls.

As soon as his form disappeared around a corner, another demon servant a little over two-thirds of Aldren's height arrived from the other end of the hall. His build was more athletic than muscular, but still provoked a dominate appearance with his rough facial features and multiple scars. It wasn't a moment later until a female servant also strutted to her callous partner's side and stood astutely; awaiting Aldren's orders. Unlike his previous trade of thoughts with Leono, Aldren spoke through his voice with the subordinate duo and requested plainly.

"Leono-Sama wishes for you two to take Goro," The monster in question could only communicate with the mentally advanced demons through thoughts since he didn't have the ability to speak or fully understand human language; however, like a simple house dog, he could recognize the sound of his name easily. Goro lulled his head to the side and voiced a guttural whimper in response. There was so much confusion and pain laced in the ignorant creature's tone, but Aldren relented against the hesitation lurking in his subconscious and continued stiffly.

"To the…disposal room and please…make it as quick and painless as possible for him. He has suffered enough." Aldren was pleased to receive silent agreements from the clan members, as he genuinely wished for the bitter altercation to be dealt with as quickly as possible. The two servants wordlessly approached Goro's slightly anxious form and, with surprising strength, carried him on either sides of his humongous body. Their bare feet tapped almost silently against the cavern ground as Goro was unknowingly transported to what would be his rapid death.

Leono's sharpened nails once again drummed on the armrest of his thrown; his other hand gently placed over his mouth in a contemplating manner.

'…_My daughter is alive. This is quite the interesting turn of events.'_ His light coal irises once again latched onto the endlessly high ceiling. Leono was well aware that Goro had traveled to a peculiar country to perform his regular scouting for food; it was what the creature actually does during that period of time that eluded Leono. It didn't matter now; not when Leono finally learned the locality of his second offspring.

'_So…she's in Japan…Zazie, your disgraceful days of hiding ends now.'_ A smirk disturbingly hollow of any feeling skidded across his tan face…

* * *

><p>Kendra's frantic breathing burned her lungs with each inhale as she urgently sprinted down the hall of Anima's sizeable home. The soul manipulator had heard a muffled bang from the second floor, more specifically from his and Stella's room, and had wasted little time in hurrying to learn the source of noise.<p>

The transfer student was initially baffled at Anima's seemingly meaningless anxiety, but it was quelled when his thoughts indirectly informed her of his worries. It seems that Anima's granted power and title of master mage had heralded several enemies for him and test his newfound abilities. A nerve wracking consequence of this development: Anima's foes would go as far as targeting his own family if it meant attacking the forest haired man's only weakness.

The magic sensor's palm stung as her hand slammed against the door surface and swung it open.

"_Stella! What's-"_ As if his words were crushed into a ball and mercilessly shoved back down his throat, Anima abruptly halted in mid-sentence with his mouth agape. Kendra felt as if every joint, every tendon, every vein, every neuron in her shared body had frozen and converted to stone.

"N-no…"

Fists pinned helplessly against the wall and eyes wide, Stella's visage was flushed as waves of uncertainty emanated from her trapped form. A grown man's face was buried in the crook of the blonde beauty's neck as his lips grazed softly across her skin before kissing her collar bone persistently. The mysterious man's dirty blonde bangs hid his lifeless azure eyes as he roughly grated his hips against Stella's. This action had undoubtedly earned a reaction out of the wife as she flinched with, both Anima and Kendra prayed, resistance.

The millisecond moment of silence was all that Anima needed in order to comprehend what was unfolding before him; a man was sexually assaulting his wife.

Kendra's emerald vision suddenly blurred as a rapid onslaught of winds whipped across her pale face. Sickening cracks rung in her ears as Anima's right hand clenched fatally around the assaulter's neck; his other hand reared back in preparation to deliver a crushing blow. Amidst it all, Stella had been pushed aside and, as she scrambled to distance herself from the two men, gaped fearfully while adjusting her clothes.

Anima glared ferociously at the man's suffocated visage and felt the rage within him burn to significant degrees when his expression remained placid. Baring his teeth with a dangerous growl, Anima threatened sternly.

"_By the time I'm finished with thy, the buzzards will be feeding off thy's remains!"_ Not a single drop of mercy was left in Anima's emotional repertoire as his hand tightened even further around the man's throat. And yet, much to the green haired immortal's fury, the assaulter's face still refrained from presenting any form of struggle or discomfort. His lifeless ocean eyes held a disturbing emptiness to them that persistently nagged at the back of Anima's skull; causing a silver of uncertainty to infect his actions.

The moment of hesitance was all that the stranger needed.

Crimson suddenly pulsed within the rims of his pupils before swiftly jabbing the inside of Anima's elbow with two fingers, causing the grip to slacken and free the assaulter. The expressionless blonde scurried a few steps back with his hard gaze never leaving Anima.

Anima scowled as a stinging sensation radiated from his arm and punched with his other fist; determined to deal this man a proper hit. However, as the soul robber was mere inches away from making impact, a seemingly invisible force blocked his attack. A small flurry of flames erupted from the collision before dissipating into thin air.

The soul manipulator faltered after the unexpected interaction as he traded a baffled stare between his scalding knuckles and the unharmed blonde. The skin over his fist began to blister from the sudden torrid of intense heat and sent small waves of agony to pulse up his arm. Clenching his wrist tightly with his other hand, Anima scowled at the pain before glaring viciously at his motionless opponent.

"_What sort of mockery is this?!"_ Anima hissed lowly as he grated his teeth. Kendra growled as well from the pain; her burning anger mimicking the past immortal's own flawlessly. The magic sensor may have only interacted with Stella a few times through multiple memories, but even she felt a smoldering hatred burn in her from the sight of another man forcing himself upon her. And also, Kendra agreed fully with Anima's reaction since she could imagine herself doing the same if a stranger sexually harassed Zazie.

"You're so dead!"

"_Thy shall die for this!"_ Anima bellowed as he once again dashed after the expressionless attacker and sent a wild flurry of punches. Each swing failed to land on the man and only clashed uselessly against the invisible shield. With every impact, arising flames continued to both repel and scorch Anima's flesh. Kendra and Anima could literally smell their skin roasting and judging from the exponential increase of pain in their knuckles, could guess that bone was becoming exposed.

Anima could faintly hear Stella frantically opening the room door and urgently murmuring to someone. A terrified, young voice stuttered in response as the mother practically pushed her towards the stairs; Stella was intent on getting Gemma as far away as possible.

Grateful for his wife's wise decision, Anima smirked at the fact that he no longer needed to hold back. He abruptly halted his strikes and quickly skidded backwards to gain some distance; a confident smirk gracing his handsome visage. Kendra felt a familiar power compatible to the sheer destruction of a bomb build within her arms. Extending one arm towards the stone-like figure of the blonde, Anima's smile widened subtly before he shouted exultantly.

"_Thy's time ends here!"_ A wide emerald beam rocketed at the past immortal's opponent and engulfed his entire form. An ear-piercing ring echoed through the atmosphere and steadily increased in volume as Anima's ray of magical energy radiated continuously. Once a few seconds passed, his attacked finally began waning until it was the width of a thread before disappearing completely.

Left in the beam's wake were papers, bed sheets, and small accessories to furniture scattered across the floor along with a large hole gaping in the wall. A thin mixture of collateral debris and steam fogged Anima's vision; forcing him to squint as his forest green sight detected a blurry shape that was suspiciously glowing red. As the smoke began to clear, Anima's face gradually contorted with staggering displeasure.

Staring indifferently at Anima was the mysterious blonde. Not a scratch, bruise nor burn was found on his relaxed body. Stiffly clenching his extended hand into a fist, Anima's visible frustration launched to unimaginable heights. However, amongst his outrage, his jade irises were finally able to deduct the source of the red glow. The miniscule flames from before had morphed into an active shield and enshrouded the man's entire front protectively; sparks and flickers of fire jumping from it wildly in all directions.

Succumbing to his growing bafflement, Anima lowered his arm and gazed questioningly at his furtive adversary. Kendra also stared deeply at the flaming blonde; studying his unusually neon red pupils all the while. There was something familiar about those intense eyes, as if Kendra could recall seeing them somewhere else. She automatically ruled out Igneus' blood hued eyes from the other memory since there was yet another persona the magic sensor vaguely recollected sharing similar vision.

"Where have I…seen dat eye color before?"

Realization struck Kendra instantly.

"…D…Deveron…" Kendra thought back to Anima's first appearance in her life; when the haughty immortal showed her the painful, bitter memories. Even now the transfer student could imagine her best friend's distraught expression as his almond orbs anonymously illuminated burgundy.

"…N-no…No, i-it just gotta be a coincidence! Dat ain't right! I-I'm just readin' too far into it!" Kendra knew that her spiritual mind was functioning against her own will as a million unsettling assumptions were made; most of them terrifying her since the magic sensor couldn't believe them to ever be true. Deveron was her only friend in middle school. His patience and genuine attention had saved her from descending into a whirlpool of suffocating hopelessness. Deveron wouldn't and couldn't be involved with an enemy like Igneus; never.

"_What does it take for thy to die? Must I cut off thy's head instead?"_ Anima taunted with half of his mind while the other thought fervently of a way to quickly defeat the blazing flaxen. Shortly giving in to the temptation to blast the maddening blankness off of his enemy's face, Anima momentarily abandoned any tactical approach and shot a disordered array of generally small beams from the center of his palms. The immortal was faced with the same results as his previous attacks.

Like a curious owl, the blonde sluggishly tilted his head to the right in a nearly impossible angle; almost taunting Anima's inability to harm him. Abruptly, his gore-red gaze turned upwards as if he heard a voice or command before looking back at Anima.

"_Master awaits me…"_ Before the past immortal could utter a word of protest or interrogation, a colossal sphere of inferno enshrouded the mysterious assaulter's form; the entire entity dancing in a storm of swirling flames before rapidly decreasing in size. When the globe of searing heat was nothing more than a miniscule jumble of sparks, they fizzled out of existence.

Silent fury wracked Anima's body as his fists clenched tightly; effortlessly ignoring the agony pulsing through his burned knuckles. His outrage dwindled however when he remembered his wife; hoping that the event hadn't traumatized her too much. Ignoring the massive disarray that the master bedroom had suffered, Anima dashed down the flight of stairs and literally jumped over the last two. As the armored immortal turned to face his family, his heart tore painfully at the sight.

Stella, whose hunched form was leaning pitifully against a wall, whimpered softly as heavy tears rolled down her cheeks. Gemma's little arms were wrapped around her mother as comfortingly as possible with Stella's face buried in her tiny shoulder; shedding tears of her own at the troubled woman's expense. Kendra could faintly hear the blonde child whispering supportive words that were years beyond what her young wisdom should withhold. It was almost surreal how the two females had suddenly switched roles.

Anima cautiously approached his shaken family with slightly buckling legs; the strength in his lower body evaporating almost instantly at the solemn sight. As he kneeled on one knee in front of the embracing females, his forest green orbs began to glisten with a thin sheet of frustrated tears before gradually leaning forward. The soul manipulator's sturdy, injured arms engulfed Stella and Gemma's forms tightly as he whispered with remorse.

"_I apologize deeply, Gemma…St-Stella. Thy should not have been burdened with such a traumatizing event…" _Anima only received further whimpers and silence from his family as Stella shifted in the embrace; trading Gemma's shoulder for Anima's own. The soul manipulator in turn rested his cheek against the troubled blonde's head while whispering repeatedly.

"_I'm sorry…I'm so sorry…" _

Unbeknownst to both the husband and child, Stella's tears did not flow from frustration, fear, or the mortifying aftershocks of being sexually assaulted; only immense guilt and regret racked her mind, heart, and soul.

Kendra blacked out.

A speck of white light…

* * *

><p>Zazie unconsciously clenched her fists as she observed Negi kneel next to Kendra; gazing determinedly at the magic sensor's comatose form. It had seemed that with every inch of distance that Negi decreased between him and the transfer student, the further the tattooed demon felt her agreement to the pactio slip. She swallowed back a possessive growl as she momentarily closed her eyes and recollected her logical, human bearings. <em>'This is to save Kendra, nothing else…I have to stay calm…'<em>

Opening her auburn pupils once more, they were automatically burdened with the sight of Negi firmly resting a hand on the couch cushion pillowing Kendra's head.

"Okay! Pactio time!" Chamo squeaked loudly as he drew in the last of the incantation circle surrounding the couch.

A large ring of lavender energy projected from the hardwood floor; bathing Negi and Kendra in its enchanting light. Negi inhaled deeply in preparation as he slowly lowered his face towards the magic sensor's own.

Contrary to what Zazie had believed earlier, her faith in her ability to watch waned instantly and had to divert her gaze. She attempted to take calming breaths and relinquish multiple, pleasant memories of her and Kendra.

The transfer student's rare, sincere smile loomed in her subconscious; momentarily cherishing the fact that the endearing sight was only meant for her eyes. She then recalled the soul searing moment of their first kiss; which had undoubtedly thrown the Hanyou's mind into emotional overdrive and sent the waves of her pulse crashing against her senses. It was as if the very sensation of Kendra's lips had catapulted her nerve ends into a pool of hypersensitive ecstasy.

She had never wanted that precious period of her life to end and, above all, it was something that Zazie would never forget-

A small, startled gasp escaped Negi as a hand tightly clenched his arm; this hand in particular being dark in complexion. Despite the crippling amount of force used in her grasp, Kendra still appeared to be unconscious and completely frozen. The only source of motion that she presented was her hazel pupils moving about frantically beneath her closed eyelids.

"K-Kendra-San!" Negi yelped out as his arm throbbed in pain under the heavy constriction. Zazie, Evangeline, and the rest of the child teacher's students scrambled to the couch in a concerned stampede; only for their eclectic bodies to halt just centimeters away as Kendra's eyes snapped open.

Replacing the dark skin girl's hazel irises were the neon emerald ones belonging to Anima; illuminating menacingly in Negi's direction. However, her expression appeared to be riddled with betrayal and hurt as well; which had spiked the young wizard's curiosity for a split second before yet another round of agony racked his arm. Using his free hand to grab the magic sensor's own and attempt to wrench it off; Negi pleaded in a panicked tone.

"K-Kendra-San! You're h-hurting my arm, wake up! Please!" At the sound of their beloved instructor's strained voice, the girls of 3-A finally began approaching again with Evangeline being the exception. She scoffed as the students obliviously tried to enter into the pactio circle but were then abruptly blocked out by an invisible shield. Upon receiving impact, a ripple of lime green pulsed around Kendra and Negi; the hue mingling with the pactio spell's magenta power.

_'I knew I sensed that bastard's energy leaking through.'_ Evangeline reasoned with an annoyed sneer; as she was painfully aware that the shield was practically indestructible.

Recovering instantly from the shock of being propelled backwards, Zazie desperately slapped her hands against the pulsing green and purple dome.

"Kendra!" She shrieked in distress as the sinister glow in her dark skin lover's eyes continued burrowing into Negi's frightened visage. Gritting her teeth in frustration, the tattooed acrobat fueled her shoulders and biceps with as much demonic animosity as she could and ruthlessly slammed her fist against the shield. A string of soul racking booms echoed from each hit as Zazie blindly assaulted the bi-colored magical sphere; her frazzled classmates treading backwards from the viciousness of her actions.

A pair of feet hurriedly descended the cabin steps; revealing the owner of them to be a perplexed Asuna as she quickly rounded the corner. However, her form momentarily ceased at the sight of her young teacher and magic sensor encased in a raging, multi-chromatic sphere of enchanting energy. It was her second observation of Zazie pounding restlessly onto the dome that snapped the twin-tailed red head out of her stupor. Quickly jogging over to her fellow Ala Alba members, Asuna yelled over the high-pitched, rumbling noise inundating the atmosphere.

"What the hell is going on?!"

"Something's wrong with Kendra-San!" Setsuna replied loudly with her Yuunagi drawn; fully prepared for if Anima manages to gain control of Kendra's mind and attack again.

Unlike what the crow Hanyou predicted though, no further violent gestures emitted from Kendra. In fact, her form didn't do anything else; the transfer student remained disturbingly frozen with her hand maintaining its grip on Negi's arm and eyes still blazing jade green. The child professor was rock still as well; thoroughly afraid that if he moved a single muscle it would provoke some unwanted reaction out of the semi-conscious transfer student.

Strangely enough, the currently active spell's shrill buzzing had melded out into an ignored background noise as every single occupant of the cabin drew silent.

Zazie had her mouth pressed into a thin line as irritated tears fell from her eyes one-by-one. Even while using her supernatural strength, the tan girl's efforts to reach her beloved magic sensor were useless. It was like she was surely about to go insane as her protective demon instincts screeched for Zazie to wrap her arms around Kendra and guard the dark skin girl from all harm.

The silence didn't last long though as Kendra's grip suddenly doubled and sent a strong jolt of pain coursing up Negi's arm. A yelp followed by a strangled plea escaped him…

* * *

><p>"<em>I am not finished talking with thy!"<em>

"_Release me, Anima!"_

"_Not until thy answers my question, Stella!"_ Stella struggled against Anima's grip in retaliation as anger and frustration infected her feminine features. Kendra could feel her lips peel back to reveal a dangerous snarl as her deep voice demanded furiously.

"_Cease thy's foolish resistances and answer me!"_ In one swift movement, Anima pulled Stella's body flush against his and possessively, yet roughly, dug his fingers into the flesh of her shoulders.

The blonde beauty visibly winced at the sensation; a fleeting trace of disbelieving betrayal appearing in her cerulean orbs before instantly vanishing. Her voice literally trembling with restrained rage, Stella shoved the soul robber's chest and hissed warningly.

"_I will not tell thy again! Unhand me, Anima!"_

"_My hold shall remain!"_ The jade-haired immortal's voice boomed as the strength in his grip skyrocketed; forcing a pained screech to rip from Stella's throat. A combination of unpredictable adrenaline and seething wrath pulsed within Kendra's foreign veins and, judging by the sheer intensity of it, Kendra was petrified. She could sense a dull wave of erratic power morphing in the core of Anima's heart, the frustrated throbbing of the soul manipulator's temples, the overwhelming urge to wildly inflict pain on anything and anyone; Kendra detected all of it. And lastly, she couldn't help but mirror the barbaric feelings that Anima withheld; it was a temporary curse that the recollections bestowed upon her.

Sickened with the realization, the transfer student felt the emotional nausea triple at the sight of an agonized tear streaking down Stella's pale cheek. There was no sympathy lurking in Anima's conscious however; only the need to preserve his sense of dominance and acquire the answers he desperately longed for was his top priority.

Kendra felt the muscles in Stella's arms slacken as she whimpered in defeated plea.

"_A-Anima, please...thy is hurting me…"_

"_Has thy not heard a single word I have uttered?!"_ Kendra's pale neck convulsed with her bellowing as Anima viscously pinned his wife's fragile form against a wall. A strangled choke fleeted from Stella's gaping mouth at the moment of impact; her azure irises expanding with shock.

And yet again, much to Kendra's horror, neither a flicker nor a speck of concern ran through the emerald eyed immortal's mind. Her soul wavering with apprehension, Kendra attempted to call out frantically.

"Stop Anima! Ya losin' ya damn mind!"

"_Is thy cheating on me again?!"_ His slender, sturdy fingers inched ever so slightly towards the base of Stella's neck; his hands twitching with the carnal desire to strangle her right at that moment. Frighteningly deducting the meaning behind her husband's subtle motion, the fair-haired woman's body shuddered in fear as more tears cascaded down her flustered countenance.

"_I-I'm not!"_ She retorted with a meek stutter. Harmlessly snaking his fingers around her throat, Anima growled threateningly as his emerald irises practically kindled with searing admonition.

"_Lies-"_

"_I'm not lying, Anima!"_

"_Then provide me with clarification…"_ Anima promptly decreased the distance between him and Stella until his finely pointed nose grazed her own. A ferocious snarl poorly disguised as a simple exhale rumbled in his chest as the rims of his eyes momentarily illuminated neon green.

"_Why is it that I saw thy with another man yesterday? Identify this man! What are his relations with thy?!"_ Confusion fleeted across Stella's features before they immediately became riddled with suspicion. Narrowing her eyes with renewed stubbornness, she bravely inched her face closer to her infuriated husband and seethed.

"_Was thy spying on me?"_ Pressure formed around Stella's throat; instantly forcing a startled cough out of her before the soul manipulator replied in a disturbingly even tone.

"_I was and shall continue to do so when I see fit..."_

"_There should never be a reason to do so, Anima!"_ Stella wheezed out as the constriction upon her trachea grew erratically. Her cerulean pupils widened with agonized panic as she feebly encased Anima's offending hand in both of her own; weakly attempting to pry them off.

Something wasn't right; Kendra could tell. Something sinister flowed in their bones, their arteries, their mind, their souls…and it was rising fast.

Her heart leapt into her airway as the magic sensor and immortal's ears detected multiple, indiscernible whispers lapsing over each other in a mess of white noise. The wispy murmuring grew in volume, but had also strangely remained soft and distracting; resulting in a slew of frustration to overcome Anima.

_Serve me _

_Blood, spill blood_

_Slaughter her, take her lif-_

_Give me her sou-_

_I must have her life-_

_Give it to me, give it, kill-_

_Kill_

_Blood_

The jade-eyed soul thief briefly shook his head to free himself of the anonymous voices, but they only grew louder as if they were mocking him. More and more random words that were impossible to understand swelled his brain to painful limits and, due to his disorientated state of mind, furiously strengthened his grip on Stella.

Kendra would've given anything, would've used all of her power, would've done the impossible to cease the insistent whispers that were driving her sanity up the wall.

"Shut up! Shut da fuck up!"

_End her-_

_Bring her soul to hel-_

_Pay your debt-_

_Satisfy our hung-_

_Feed us-_

"_A-Ani…ma…"_ Stella choked out painfully as her facial complexion began to turn blue and heavy tears leaked from her bloodshot irises. Not responding to her silent beg, Anima fervently rubbed the back of his free hand against his vision and blinked rapidly; not at all acknowledging the fact that his eyes were beginning to glow brightly. His teeth gritted audibly; only parting occasionally to release an agitated grunt.

Another shake of his head.

_Kill-_

_Blood-_

_More bloo-_

_Kill, kill, kil-_

_KILL! _

"_Anima!"_ Stella called out desperately with her last, saved breath of precious air. Just as her azure orbs began to roll in the back of her head and pass out from lack of oxygen, her form was brutally shoved to the floor. The blonde yelped when her elbow roughly grazed the wooden floor, but wasted little time scurrying to her feet; panting and gagging with erratic fervor as she did so. Not even bothering to steal a glance at her dazed and struggling husband, Stella clumsily ran past him and towards the stairs with shaky legs.

Her timing couldn't have been more precise because as soon as her foot planted onto the first step, Anima slammed both of his green, blazing fists into the wall and screamed wildly; just barely missing the woman. A frightened shriek escaped her at the thunderous thud, but she was too determined to reach her daughter to halt her advancements. Her bare feet madly dashed up the steps and sprinted into Gemma's bedroom.

_Get her, don't let her esca- _

_Follow my orders! _

_Blood, blood, blood!_

_You serve m-_

_Kill _

_TEAR HER APART!_

"_Silence!"_ Anima yelled desperately with his hands tightly clenched over his ears. A thin stream of blood trickled down the side of his snarling mouth from over-grinding his teeth, but he still continued to do so with growing force. The soul robber's glowing, quaking pupils abruptly snapped open as the diameter of his retinas bizarrely decreased in width. Kendra was unable to utter a single word as she gaped at the unstable image overwhelming her illuminated vision.

The sight was hauntingly familiar.

The face of a male stared back at her; his skin pasty and pale. An extremely lengthy and thick porcelain beard enshrouded his chin and the skin above his upper lip. The hue of his eyes were undetectable due to them being cloaked by his closed eye lids; which seemed to be conveying that he was in a state of blissful peace. However, once the magic sensor began to wordlessly examine further of his visage, she mimicked Anima's shudder of horrified recognition.

_I command-_

_Kill!_

A grotesque line of unnaturally melded skin ran down the middle of the face; separating it from the demonic half of its countenance. Anima and Kendra recognized this bi-featured sight with terrified gusto and could do nothing to repress their growing panic; thoroughly wary at the possibility of the heaven and hell phenomenon cramming down their throats again.

_Her sou-_

_Soul, I need-_

_I want her heart-_

_Bloo-_

_Kill, her soul, give it-_

_Blood, blood, spill her b-_

However, instead of diving down their trachea like Kendra and Anima had feared, the scornful, sinister half began to slowly dominate the heavenly side of its face. Doing so with the same motion of a windshield wiper, the scar dragged across the powerful countenance until less than a third of the porcelain bearded man's features were left. Another shudder rattled every single vertebrate of the immortal's spine.

_Obey m-_

_blood, I need it! _

_Vessel! _

_Kill!_

The maddening whispers continued to barrage Anima's sanity and, accusingly narrowing his emerald orbs as the observation dawned on him, he realized that the sinister face's mouth was motioning correspondently with each word. The action was just barely noticeable, but the soul robber had a mysterious intuition that it was indeed the split countenance infecting his brain with these hostile messages.

Blood continued to build within his mouth and the strong taste of copper became overwhelming to the point that Kendra felt the dire need to void the contents of her foreign stomach. She sensed an agonizing pressure on her ears; shortly coming to the conclusion that Anima was hopelessly attempting to block out the infuriating whispers.

However, the hovering visage seemed to have acknowledged its host's disobedience and called out to the struggling man in a booming voice riddled with ancient authority.

_Anima!_

He snapped to attention.

Kendra's soul felt cold. So cold that her very essence literally burned as the frighteningly hallow emotion slithered into her.

"No…n-no this isn't an emotion or a feeling…w-what…what da hell is dis…"

Kendra choked out as her ability to breath suddenly became harder and harder to perform; the anonymous sensation coursing through her increasing by multitudes. Her vision began to fuzz and waver around the edges but, nonetheless, it was capable enough to faintly discern a wicked and satisfied leer stretching across the demonic persona's features. Before Kendra and Anima could understand the source behind the frigid force encasing their heart, a flash of putrid, neon green blinded them; instantly freeing them of the mental trance and collapsing to their knees.

A gargling cough erupted in Anima's throat as a thick flurry of crimson fluid dribbled down his chin; his feral orbs roaming the familiar sight of his home wildly in search of a particular individual. Initially, Kendra had assumed that her spiritual connection with the immortal's physical senses had been cut off somehow; as her supposedly shared nerve endings felt nearly non-existent. Her theory was then cast aside once a prickly sensation similar to frostbite began to throb on every inch of her pale, sturdy skin.

The magic sensor's neck stiffly turned to peek a single, wide emerald eye over her broad shoulder. Her abnormally keen hearing, which wasn't a naturally active ability until now, picked up the sound of panicked whispers and shuffling feet from upstairs.

Something just…clicked in Anima's mind. It all made perfect, clear sense now.

The hovering visage wasn't evil at all. It was his source of wise judgment, his guiding light in this moment of hysteria.

Stella was stealing away Anima's last symbol of peace and emotional sanity right before his glowing eyes.

She was going to take Gemma away; leaving him alone to rot and writhe in his own sea of mental torture.

Kendra wailed out in horror.

"No! No, no, no, Anima! Pull ya'self together! No! Ya thinkin' crazy things! None of dat is true!"

Predictably, Kendra's words went unheard as Anima shakily rose to his feet and unconsciously swiped his tongue over the warm rivulets of crimson streaking his lips. The taste was pungent and sickening, and it frustrated the magic sensor to no end at her incapability to gag in disgust.

The immortal's feet were heavy and sluggish; as if his muscles were naturally conflicting with his warped mind. Anima pressed on with his newly acquired madness however and, just as his illuminating hand rested upon the staircase's railing, a chilling grimace slithered across his blemished countenance. A thin sheen of sweat cloaked his temples and palms as a twisted determination rose within him.

Stella, with a bundle of clothes and other necessities in her arms, halted her fervent dashing at the top of the steps to fearfully gape at her possessed husband. The terrified blonde's lips twitched fruitlessly to speak a coherent plea, but her efforts were cut short at the sound of small, pattering feet.

Both frightened cerulean and shining emerald pupils locked onto Gemma's form as she strode up to her mother's side; a pile of personal belongings tucked into her tiny arms as well. The innocent child directed a look of perplexity up at Stella as she muttered.

"_M-mommy? Where are we going-"_

"_Thy are going nowhere, Gemma…"_ Anima interjected icily while planting a single foot on the first step; the clunking of his boots echoing dully through the home. His neon irises peeked out from beneath his shaggy, jade bangs and sent jagged daggers into Stella's frozen form. Without tearing away his deathly gaze, the soul robber ordered monotonously.

"_Go back into thy's room, Gemma…and leave me and thy's mother alone to…talk…"_ The last of his sentence rung with a motive much more sinister then what he verbally conveyed, and Stella had undoubtedly detected this with a violent shudder. Gemma appeared to be oblivious to this as she only traded baffled stares between her tense parents before reluctantly beginning to return to her room.

"_N-no, Gemma!"_ Stella cried out feebly as she firmly gripped her daughter's shoulder and pulled her back. Ignoring Gemma's baffled expression, the fair-haired mother gathered as much fury as she could and aimed it at Anima in the form of a harsh glare.

"_Move aside, Anima! My daughter and I shall no longer live here!"_ Instead of bellowing in anger like Stella had fearfully expected, Anima slowly leveled his chilling gaze with hers and muttered gravely.

"_No…thy will not…take my daughter from me…and if thy shall not listen, then I'll have no choice…"_ Stella's heart skipped a beat as her mind raced to decipher the assumption behind this threat.

She gulped as soon as she conjured up a horrid conclusion.

Hand encasing Gemma's in a flash, Stella trotted down the steps with her posture erect and portraying a substantial amount of gall; although all of it was forced. The mother was fully aware that she had to appear fearless and confident in her actions; not only to stand up to Anima, but to also reassure Gemma in this crucial predicament. Her bravado wavered at the lack of reaction from her untamed husband though, and had to discretely grit her teeth to prevent the doubt from showing on her face.

Gemma's legs stumbled clumsily behind her mother as she just barely avoided tripping over each step; uttering unintelligent enquiries all the while. A silent sigh of relief escaped the child once her mother ceased tugging her along and remained standing a single step in distance away from Anima; both parents ogling each other with sporadically varying emotions radiating from their stiff physiques. Even with the advantage of having her feet resting upon a higher level, Stella was still burdened with the necessity of angling her vision upwards to fully take in the soul robber's pale visage.

"_Move aside, Anima…"_ She commanded with a growl lacing her tone. The notion had failed to intimidate Anima in the slightest degree, and the realization chilled Stella to the bone.

The frigid sensation coursing through her increased by multitudes as the jade soul robber allowed a tiny, emotionless smirk to play across his lips.

His emerald orbs flickered anonymously.

"_Thy shall not…"_

A crushing force compressed into Stella's throat as her feet rose an entire foot off the hardwood surface. Her quivering hand, which was previously wrapped around Gemma's own, slackened it's grip and dangled limply at her side; a fresh round of salty tears cascading down her reddening cheeks.

"_M-mom…my…"_ Gamma gaped in speechless horror and collapsed onto her bottom; her ability to stand presumptuously vanishing at the frightening sight. Anima made no heed to note his daughter's expression however. Doing so with deliberately sluggish motion, the mentally disorientated man brought Stella's flushed countenance within centimeters reach of his pale one and bellowed furiously.

"…_Take my daughter away from me!"_ Treating her body with as much care as a ferocious barbarian, Anima effortlessly tossed Stella aside; her fragile form crashing into the nearest wall with heart wrenching impact. The wife's already throbbing shoulder erupted into an agonized frenzy as it took the full blow while simultaneously emitting a sickening pop.

Her cerulean vision blurred from the pain and only became foggier as she feebly fell to the floor in a trembling heap. A chain of retched coughs and gagging fleeted from her panting lips as Stella held her dislocated shoulder with one hand and slowly raised the other to her throat; timidly running her fingers over the undoubtedly scathing marks left behind by Anima's blazing emerald grip.

Showing little interest in his wife's condition, Anima locked his illuminated gaze onto Gemma's small, shivering form; her childish jade orbs wide with disbelief and insurmountable fear. Opening his arms in a welcoming fashion, the manipulated man approached his child at a snail's pace and cracked a psychotic, yet strangely infatuated, smile.

"_Come, my child. Come to thy's father." _

Gemma gawked in horror as the insane immortal beckoned for her, but, even as her body naturally jerked forward to eagerly comply at the sound of his voice, the young girl refused to move a muscle.

This was not her father.

Her father was kind, loving, and would never lay a single, violent hand upon her mother. Her father always had a warm and understanding smile upon his handsome face, and his jade locks would accent his features with a sense of serenity.

Instead, what Gemma's quaking irises observed was a lunatic whose form was almost entirely engulfed in the shadows. His sinister hands were reaching out to her; not to scoop her up into an endearing embrace, but to ruthlessly kill her in cold blood. Green flames kindled and flurried from his deadly fingers and casted an evil, eerie glow upon his maniacal smile. Lastly, strands of the soul manipulator's jade locks flared out in wild, random directions. In all truth, Gemma's frazzled imagination presented Anima to be the actual embodiment of death himself.

An ear-piercing shriek escaped Anima's daughter; resulting in the crazed man's grin to falter and became infected with hurt. However, the expression scarcely lasted before it was swiftly supplanted by artificial reassurance.

"_Hush Gemma…all is well now. Daddy is here, and no one shall ever try to separate us ever again…"_ As the psychotic words oozed from his disturbingly sweet smile, Anima's glowing hands continued to inch closer to Gemma; only to halt just as there was a foot in distance between them. An emotion that the green-haired man had never presented until now ebbed into features as he kneeled on the bottom step and looked up at his panicking child: Desperation.

Kendra's nonexistent heart throbbed with pity.

"O-oh god, Anima…you're so confused…"

"…_We'll be together forever, Gemma…Just you and me!"_ He attempted to alter his tone to one of cheeriness in hopes of swaying her daughter, but the action only proved to intensify her terror. Rapidly shaking her head in frightened defiance and on the verge of bellowing yet another fearful screech, Gemma weakly tried to scramble up a step away from her father.

Anima's desperation tripled.

Jumping to his feet and sharply turning to his left, the soul manipulator rushed out of Gemma's sight and into the kitchen; returning moments later with something in his hands.

Gemma's lime green orbs widened in an instant before she unintentionally gasped out in a strained voice.

"_Th-that's mine, daddy-"_

"_Does thy remember?"_ Anima interrupted with a crazy slur to his voice as a lop-sided smile slithered across his face; pale skin glistening with a thin layer of sweat. He delicately held the pot containing the Sacred Green Thorn Apple within his hands and slowly raised it for Gemma to fully take in.

"_Does thy remember, Gemma? Does thy remember that day? I bought this for thy but then…th-then I almost lost thy to the hands of that accursed horsemen!"_ Perhaps Gemma's own desperation to shatter this warped nightmare was the source of her momentary observation, but she could've sworn that she caught a glimpse of the real Anima lurking behind those shining irises. The glimmer faded as fast as it came though, and Anima never ceased his insane rambling.

"_I cherish thy, Gemma! So much so that I knew I'd surely kill myself if that sword had impaled thy!"_ A strange mixture of a whimper and cackle emanated from him.

"_I-I love thy, Gemma! I love thy so much…Please, come to thy's father-"_

An enraged cry was followed by a weight colliding into Anima's back; sending both personas tumbling over and sprawled across the floor. Amidst the tackle, the Sacred Green Thorn Apple had flown from the twisted father's hands and met the ground with a loud clang; the porcelain flower coincidentally, and neatly, resting atop the pile of soil and clay pot shards.

Stella groaned as she cautiously rolled onto her uninjured shoulder and delivered a heated glare at Anima.

"_Thy stay away from Gemma!" _Anima returned a ferocious glare of his own as he propped himself up with his right hand.

"_Commanding me to stay away from my daughter…"_

_Kill, kill, kill, kill!_

_End her-_

_Kil-_

_Blood!_

_I need her sou-_

_Blood!_

_Spill it, bring her soul-_

Anima's hand slowly raised, a sphere of sickly green energy enshrouding it and gradually growing in size.

"Anima, stop!" The transfer student snapped fervently.

Violent strings of the emerald aura whipped and crackled about the destructive orb; forcing a fearful flinch out of the wife with each vicious snap.

The noise of electric sizzling overwhelmed the injured blonde's ears as she observed the fatal attack leisurely aim at her helpless form.

Stella's twin cerulean orbs expanded in horror.

Gemma, who still hadn't moved from her location on the stair case, felt her body twitch ever so slightly as Anima's emergent spell casted a wicked jade glow across her mother's frozen frame. Her small lips quivered numbly.

"_M-m-mommy…d-daddy…no…"_

_Kill, kill!_

_Kill her-_

_End it!_

_I command th-_

_Now!_

_Kill her An-_

_Blood!_

_Kill her!_

_Anima!_

"_Gemma belongs to me!"_ The twisted immortal shrieked madly as his fingers flexed out to almost unnatural angles and surged a final wave of power to the globe of mawkish green aura.

Stella frantically forced herself onto her hands and knees, ignoring the abysmal agony in her shoulder. With a deeply pained grunt, the mother struggled to get on her feet. However, just as she attempted to stand fully straight, the energy in her legs gave out and collapsed to the hardwood floor in devastated defeat.

An intense, whirling buzz filled the atmosphere as the green-haired soul robber's elliptical ray fired from his arm like a powerful canon. Whether or not she currently possessed one, Kendra's heart dropped into the pit of her shared stomach and shrieked desperately.

"No!"

The ball of sinister energy sailed towards Stella at deafening speed.

"_Mommy!"_

The sound of feet racing.

In a flash, Stella's daughter appeared in front of her; the child's tiny hands reaching for the shell shocked blonde and tears brimming in her terrified eyes.

The thunderous, emerald explosion made impact with something solid; the faintest trace of a wet, fleshy bash mingling within it.

A soul shredding scream ripped from Gemma's throat.

The Sacred Green Thorn Apple was a beacon, a symbol amongst the family of three. It stood as their only evidence and liable proof that there was once a period in their lives that peace was attainable; that everything was in balance. The flower's untainted, beautiful porcelain petals were the utter essence of purity and hope; signifying the nature of love that bonded them as one, loving unity.

It was fact that the tubular flower would close during the day and only open once the sun fell.

And yet…as the blood of a member of that shattered family splattered across the defiled foliage, it has not spread its frosty wings. It had disobeyed the clock of nature, and for that there may be consequences. Sacred Green Thorn Apples were rarely defiant of such a necessary, habitual routine; however, there is always the possibility. The chance to crumble and become lost on the path that nature had destined it for. Such a thing could happen if the flowers are barbarically blemished by another's life essence.

The plant refused to open. It refused to reveal its fuzzy center to the man that had ruined the stability of both his and the majestic floret's life.

Thick, oozing streams of crimson languidly slid down its partially scorched stem; the pile of soil and pot shards utterly destroyed from the moment of detonation.

Stella laid on her side, her mangled back facing the immortal mage and protectively withholding Gemma in her limp, quivering arms. A large hole burned through the cloth on the mother's spinal region; which proved as a pathetic shield for her skin.

The pale complexion of her back was completely nonexistent and replaced with a gut churning burgundy. Riddled with gaping cracks and chipped in numerous places, her vertebral column was visible in all its gruesome grandeur; syrupy rivulets of blood spurting from the tattered flesh and cascading over it in heavy streams. Her entire backside quickly became soaked with the putrid, warm substance; bathing the small fragments of exposed nerves within her spine.

Mouth gaping beyond measure and gagging from the pungent stench dominating her nostrils, Gemma feebly raised a hand; her entire arm shaking violently as the reality of the sight before her slowly sunk in. Her advancements became hindered though as a painful sting radiated from her upper arm. The agony accompanying that sensation was so deep that Gemma was more than reluctant to analyze the damage with her own jade eyes, but had anxiously examined it either way.

Her injury was minor in comparison to her mother's. A small patch of the young girl's shirt was obliterated from making millisecond contact with the optical beam and, because of Stella's swift judgment, had avoided receiving the full blow of it. Her exposed skin arbitrarily alternated between frigid numbness and irritated sweltering as a cluster of blisters swelled upon it.

Gemma winced at the unpleasant burn, gritting her teeth as tears of agony rapidly streamed down her cheeks. She pushed aside her pain however; transfixed on the sensation of tenderly cupping her mother's bloodied and paler than usual cheek.

It felt cold upon contact.

Little heart pounding away at her ribcage, the child's pants grew harsh and sporadic. Her jade irises quaked as they stared helplessly into her mother's navy blue ones; the azure couplets baring resemblance to dead, frozen oceans.

She was encased in the arms of a corpse.

Her mother's corpse.

It had to be a lie.

Her insides clenched painfully as if an entire black hole was holding refuge within it, her eyes burned hotter than an erupting tropical volcano, and yet through it all; a single, coherent thought managed to worm its way into her chaotic mind.

The house was eerily quiet.

How come her father hasn't spoken a single word of remorse? Why hadn't he begged for an apology or at least crumbled into a sobbing heap?

Directing one last, longing stare at her mother's stained visage, Gemma slowly stood on her buckling legs; hissing as the action required brief movement of her burned arm.

Nothing made sense anymore. At one point in her short life, Gemma knew who to trust from the bottom of her heart; her parents and, despite Stella's vehement warnings, her dead grandpa Abeo Tractatori. But now, her world had been turned upside down before being thrown into a twister of cruel fate.

Her blonde bangs cloaked her narrowed pupils; disturbingly mirroring her father's previous glares to a nearly perfect degree. Languidly stepping over Stella's lifeless body, Gemma raised her vision to be met with the sight of her father.

It was at that moment that the child had finally felt seething disgust.

Anima's cheeks were stretched to a painful width as a relieved smile overwhelmed his features. Every pore upon the hide of his tall, lean body oozed suffocating waves of tangible, emerald energy; the influxes waving about erratically in representation of the immortal mage's triumph.

Initially, the child had retracted from the jade aura as it neared her before bravely straightening her posture; Gemma's figure unwillingly flinched every now and then as a flagellated arm of the power wafted against her though. Heat brewed in the pit of her fragile soul until the young girl feared that her heart would literally erupt into a ball of blazing fury.

These emotions felt so wrong to her, and yet, right at that moment, it seemed unfortunately fitting. Fingers curling into her palms to form tiny, trembling fists; Gemma carelessly tossed aside her rare childish wisdom and whispered the only three coherent words she could muster.

"_I-I…I…hate…thy…"_ Anima's smile dropped as his aura drastically receded; leaving just the thinnest layer of it to surround his startled entity.

Gemma's clenching fists tightened as she bellowed in emotional abandonment.

"_I-I hate thy…I hate thy, I hate thy, I hate thy, I hate thy! I hate thy!"_ Retched coughs escaped the broken little girl as she gasped several inhales; allowing her under-developed lungs time to recuperate from such violent and vigorous usage.

Amongst the silence, which was only filled with Gemma's soft ragged pants, the subtle noise of ruffling cloth was heard. Slowly separating her eye lids, not even remembering when they were shut, Gemma cautiously studied her father's movements.

The pale man, who of which had a majority of his figure obscured by the shadows, rested his hands against his cotton clad abdomen before ever so slowly sliding them up to his broad chest. A chain of hollow and fragmented cackles slipped from between his pale red teeth; inhaling a shiver inducing hiss immediately after the unsettling chuckles had faded. Tilting back his angular chin to reveal twin shimmering pools of swirling lime until they locked with Gemma's vision, the jade illumination serving as the only source of light in the deathly silent house pulsed sinisterly.

_Kill…_

"…_Is this true…Gemma…D-does thy…loathe thy's father…"_ The question had fleeted from his bloody, chapped lips in the form of statement, as the warped parent was fully aware of the bitter truth now.

_Take her life-_

_Kill!_

_Blood, blood, I need-_

_Take her sou-_

_Feed me more-_

_Blood! _

_Spill it!_

A single tear slid down Anima's left cheek; the salty wetness mingling with the encrusted sheet of crimson plastered across his jaw and neck. He had thought the whispers were gone. He had thought that there'd be no more sacrifices. But now…they craved for yet another soul. It was like their hunger was bottomless.

_Feed m-_

_Kill! Kill, kill-_

_I need her innocenc-_

_Soul! Bring it to m-_

_Blood!_

It was unfair…so terribly unfair.

_Kill her!_

_Anima!_

Unable to face her father, although Gemma couldn't possibly envision him with the undeserved title, the soul robber's daughter lowered her head and meekly nodded.

"_Th-thy is a monster, d…da…"_ She couldn't do it; it was an impossible feat. Gemma just couldn't call this man her daddy anymore. Releasing a breath of tired defeat, the last of the green haired immortal's family muttered despondently.

"_Th-thy is…not my daddy a-anymore…Anima…"_

A loud catastrophe of frantic buzzes sharply pierced her small ears. Swiftly looking up to discern the source of resonance, her innocent, jade irises widened as a blinding light overcame her vision-

SHWICK!

Unimaginable and mind numbing pain exploded in little Gemma's torso.

It was as if endless buckets of molten hot lava was being steadily poured into her right lung and rendered her oxygen consumption abilities void. Strangled gasps and gurgling chokes flowed from the panicking child's mouth faster than her actual blood was able to do so. The taste of her fluid gore was excruciatingly revolting, and the urge to exult her bile spiked once the faint distinction of saltiness began to fuse with it due to her rolling tears. With her entire being shuddering as if she was experiencing a fatal seizure, Gemma carefully clasped her hands over the small, gaping hole in her chest; the physical remnant of Anima's finger-width beam.

Using the last of her rapidly depleting strength, Gemma directed Anima an expression of deep betrayal; only for the emotion to become supplant by perplexity at the grown man's countenance.

He looked utterly horrified.

His single, raised finger quivered with sluggishly bubbling emotions; although Gemma couldn't quite tell for sure if they were positive or negative. Finally, a sense of rational sanity began to ebb into his expanded emerald pupils before they shifted around in his head wildly; fruitlessly trying to comprehend the situation he was in as if he had just awoken from a coma.

When his frazzled vision locked with Gemma's dulling one, the child had come to a stunning conclusion.

Unbelievable, she thought.

It was unbelievable that Anima's stability of mind had returned now instead of earlier and sparing the lives of his loved ones.

Unbelievable, she thought once more.

It was unbelievable that, even after all that happened, even after she had witnessed the death of her mother at the hands of the master mage, she was willing to forgive.

She could still call him daddy.

Because Gemma would always love her daddy no matter what circumstance befalls them. A significant, loving glimmer fleeted through the young girl's eyes.

Her lips weakly parted to whisper raspingly.

"_Da…ddy…"_

Her small body tilted backwards.

Anima was freed of his frozen spell at the heart-shredding sight, and jerked before bursting into a sprint; sliding on his knees and catching Gemma in his sturdy arms. As much as he currently wished to persistently apologize to his wife's dead form after he unintentionally nudged it, the grown man's focus was solely meant for his perishing baby girl.

Long, rough fingers frantically yet gently shook his child's still form as Anima's bottom lip trembled; a tsunami of sentimental frailness crashing into him as the light in Gemma's eyes vanished. The natural arches of her physique slackened and lay unmoving below the soul manipulator.

God…what had he done?

A monstrous claw of misery crept into his chest and engulfed both his and Kendra's heart. Hot tears cascaded down his bloody face; the moist trails on his cheeks seeming to burn the man's skin ruthlessly. Every joint and bone in his shivering body ached beyond measure, as if they had just been on the receiving end of a brutal assault. The soul manipulator's trachea tightly convulsed into itself and was drained of every ounce of fluid; the uncomfortable sensation soon reaching his gaping orifice.

And yet, as these painful things racked his insides, Anima's will power hailed mightier than the devastated emotions trying to consume him. However, he did not long to escape these despondent sentiments. He craved and begged to any deity looking down on him to grant him just one, crucial wish.

Take his powers away. Take it all away and turn back time, to a time when life was simpler. When he was just a man of average mage skill, back to when he could love his family as easily as it is to breathe air, and back to when he was too foolish to realize that his life was perfect.

Kendra had to get out.

Now

She had to get away from all of this or else she'll surely die from the insurmountable despair. She felt helpless as she uselessly existed within the immortal's wrecked subconscious and watched the tragedy unfold. She wanted to do something meaningful, anything at all.

Above all, she wished she could comfort the troubled, immortal soul.

But this time of mourning wouldn't allow her to. Such a meager desire as hers was pathetically insignificant in the face of Anima's raw sorrow.

"_...My b-beautiful…little girl…"_ Curling into the cold, lifeless body of his only daughter, Anima nestled his head into her shoulder; the small region slick with liquescent scarlet. The soul robber's form gently rocked back and forth as he whispered in a breathless mantra.

"_Gemma…Gemma…my dear…sweet child…Gem-…"_ Suddenly breaking from his depressed trance and remembering that his wife's motionless form was only inches away, an audible gasp emitted from him. A moment of reluctance reigned over him, as the man was clearly disinclined to move from his current position, but eventually spared a feeble glance from the confines of Gemma's bloody shirt.

A gag worked its way out of Anima's throat at the grotesque sight of his wife's mauled, burgundy spine. Greatly against his will, the soul manipulator's mind ran rampant with possible scenarios leading up to Stella's ungodly demise; yet he couldn't accurately remember how this catastrophe unfolded. His mouth gaped and trembled as an overwhelming sea of nausea flooded his system; the powerful sensation threatening to force out the acidic contents of his stomach at any moment.

The threat swiftly transformed into a fact as he felt the bile rising on the back of his tongue.

Laying down his deceased daughter's body as tenderly as possible, Anima pivoted away from the two females just as spurts of vomit seeped between his tightly clamped lips; hopelessly trying to hold it in. However, as his cheeks bulged from the build-up of putrid fluid, the master mage could no longer restrain it and released a gurgling choke as it spewed from his mouth. A small puddle of puke grew in front of the green haired immortal; filling his nose with the hot, terrible stench.

The broken man paid no heed to the smell though as he feebly crawled over the mess and approached the kitchen; his sanity darkening with a fleeting, desperate thought.

He must end this pain.

It was just too much to take, and there would never be enough time in the world to heal; even if his time was indeed endless. His glossy, emerald orbs settled on a wooden drawer; gritting his teeth as flashbacks of his wife rummaging through that very compartment when she cooked succulent meals bombarded him.

Pushing off his hands and rising to his knees, he shakily pulled open the drawer and wildly ogled the kitchen utensils.

Spoons

Forks

Ladles

…Knives

Kendra's foreign heart skipped a beat.

A disarrayed noise of metal clashing with each other echoed through the woeful air as Anima's hands frantically fumbled through the utensils until the paddings of his fingers were nicked by something sharp. The lost man ignored the dull sting from his unintentionally contracted scratch as he anxiously extracted a large knife; the blade long and stainless with just the faintest trace of ridges along the edge. Without the wooden handle, the sheer length of it was equivalent to Anima's head.

Resting his back against a row of cabinets, the soul robber slowly angled the kitchen tool over his pounding heart; struggling with all his might to cease his violent trembling.

He knew this action was useless since an immortal could never die.

…But that didn't mean he couldn't experience the pain.

He wanted to undergo the agony that he had wrongfully bestowed upon his family; even his father Abeo. The bipolar mage scientist had been mercilessly blown away by the accursed incantation and crushed under a mountain of splinters because of Anima's naïve desire to become stronger; a knife to the heart was nowhere near as crippling of a death that his wife, father, and daughter had endured, but Anima had another sickening method lurking in his distorted brain.

Focusing back on the glimmering tool of death hovering over his left chest, Anima simultaneously exhaled a sobbing gasp and drove the blade into his ribcage.

SCHLICK…

Numbness drenched each and every nerve end.

A dull ache began to emit from the sight of impalement.

Smoldering agony erupted from his heart.

Kendra screamed as she suffered the same reciprocal pain as Anima's; her voice gaining a scratchy resonance from the enormous and raw volume of it. The soul thief's reaction was far different from the transfer student's however. Crushed, forlorn blends of cackling sobs poured from his slack jaw and racked his hunched body.

So, this is what the deadly combination of emotional and physical pain felt like; this is what Stella and Gemma had gone through. A sudden huff of self-disgust interrupted the man's string of demented chuckling as he slowly released the handle protruding from him.

Out of the corner of his bloodshot eyes, he detected a momentary flash of emerald light emitting from the book shelf; which was strange since he was not the source of it. It did not matter though; nothing else beyond this current predicament would ever matter.

How maddening, Anima had thought, as the overwhelming pain was already beginning to recede as the magic flowing through his veins began to heal him. He could literally detect the uncomfortable sensation of his flesh trying, yet initially failing, to reseal itself around the knife's blade. The success rate of his restoration quickened though as the emerald Casanova yanked it out with another snarl before angrily tossing it aside.

No matter, there was still his second resort of fraught escape, and unfortunately for Kendra, her omniscient abilities made her well aware of what it was.

Sluggishly rising to his feet, Anima approached Stella and Gemma's carcasses. Too dull inside to momentarily care, Anima drearily hauled the females' bodies over an individual shoulder and treaded up the steps. Once he reached the door leading to the master bedroom, he carelessly kicked it open with brute force. His body was running completely on auto pilot now.

The room looked as tidy as ever, and any remnant of the enormous laser that Anima produced a few weeks ago during his battle with the blond that sexually assaulted Stella was promptly removed; all thanks to a crew of experienced construction laborers that were more than happy to assist the famous immortal mage. Anima's glazed jade irises lifelessly roamed his surroundings until they landed on the king sized bed and, just as the man had assumed, it was more than large enough to fit all three of them.

This time, instead of treating their lifeless bodies with nonchalance, Anima carefully placed the girls' under the sheets; Stella's still form on the right of the mattress while Gemma was on the left.

He stood over his murdered loved ones, gazing deeply into their peaceful expressions; which had surely baffled Anima. He could've sworn that the only emotions racing through their minds before death were either pure horror or primal hatred; yet their feminine countenances spoke differently.

They were the strongest pair of girls that he's ever seen.

The feat was almost painful, but Anima managed to rip his eyes from the sight and trudged back downstairs and waltzed into the basement; green orbs lazily searching for a specific canister. Suddenly, his boot just barely grazed against an object and sent a sloshing sound to vibrate through the atmosphere.

Anima found the kerosene.

Wasting little time in tucking the tin under his arm, the master mage strode back up to the first floor and stood in the center of the din; sparing final, nostalgic stares at his surroundings.

He unscrewed the container top and doused the floors in kerosene.

Nothing was left untouched; the furniture, the books, the shelves, Gemma's toys, the kitchen, family photos and anything else that was visible to the eye. However, Anima stopped just as he began to drench the Sacred Green Thorn Apple. Slowly tilting his head, an impulse to preserve the tainted flower overcame him and gently scooped it up into his rough hand.

_Kill_…

* * *

><p>Mana, casually crouching on a high tree branch, observed the seemingly normal cabin; the gunslinger could sense the chaos unfolding inside though. Her sharp eyes narrowed as a familiar, yet chillingly sinister and powerful magic energy seeped from the wooden vicinity.<p>

There was only one person she knew that had that sort of aura.

"…Shit, Kendra-San." With the grace and ease of a veteran warrior, Mana leapt from her position and landed on the forest floor with a solid thud; extracting a simply designed yet supremely powerful handgun in preparation. If it's anything that the shrine maiden had recently learned, it's that whenever a situation involving Kendra's unusual abilities arises, you could never be too safe…

* * *

><p><em>Kill, kill!<em>

_More!_

_I need mo-_

_Souls!_

Those damned whispers were back.

A deep scowl slowly twisted Anima's pale, blood-blotched visage as righteous fury bubbled within him. It took all of his will power not to accidently crush the delicate flower in his hand as the urge to clench them into fists nagged at his reflexes. Releasing a quaking exhale, the soul manipulator's countenance hardened into a mask of bland anger and ventured up the staircase; kerosene can safely tucked under his arm.

_Listen to me-_

_Kill, blood, kill!_

_I command thy-_

The whispers grew in volume after each step Anima took.

_More, mor-_

_More!_

_Anima!_

His form ceased just as it reached half way to the second floor; confliction momentarily lurking within the hind corners of the immortal mage's mind. However, he ignored the devilish temptations and marched forward; a slew of furious declarations posing as his sole source of motivation to keep moving.

"_Thy had taken away my father!"_ His teeth, which were still unbearably sore from earlier, were once again grinding in outrage; and it was one of those peculiar moments in which both Kendra's actions and feelings mirrored Anima's perfectly.

She hissed venomously.

"Ya killed da old man…"

_Obey me-_

_Kill, blood, bloo-_

_Kill!_

"_Thy had taken away my wife!"_

_Anima_

_I need mo…_

_Fee…_

_Kill, ki…_

"Ya killed Stella!"

_Must ki…_

_O…bey…_

His fist slammed into the wall; sending a thunderous bang to tremor through the house. No more; no longer would he succumb to that split entity's manipulative words. They were nothing more than the animalistic chants of a bloodthirsty demon, the embodiment of all ideals sinister, the taunts of the unholy Satan himself. Anima was left a broken man without a family to lean on because of his idiotic desperation to be freed of these evil whispers; if there was any way he could repent then he'd use all that was in his immortal power to do so. Ridding his psyche of the maniacal murmurs would be his first step.

Kendra, no matter how deeply she contemplated, couldn't recall ever feeling a degree of rage this scathing and colossal. It truly was a moment of emotional unity for the magic sensor and soul manipulator; the hatred, the despair and the remorse, her soul wavered with all of them.

Maybe it was the fact that the transfer student had spent several times conversing with the jade-haired soul robber, or perhaps it was because she was technically melded into Anima's conscious, but her next words matched his flawlessly.

_K…ill…_

_A…ni…_

"_Thy had taken away my daughter!" _

Thin strings of spittle fleeted from the wailing man's mouth; his voice cracking with empowered hysteria. Suddenly, an onslaught of light-headedness rattled Anima's psyche and brought him to his knees; sustaining a weak grip on the wooden rail as the world spun around him. His vision doubled, his stomach suffered another bout of powerful nausea, and his very bones quivered with unforeseen fragility.

Then, it was over.

The symptoms back peddled, receding in intensity until they completely vanished. Anima choked out a sigh of relief as a strangely soothing clarity swept through his entire form. He couldn't quite fathom what had happened to him, but the soul manipulator almost felt like a poison in his system had been erased from existence and the damage to his psyche was being slowly restored.

…

No more whispers; Anima heard none of them. Sweetly missed peace rocketed through the shoots of his immortal veins as he ran a shaky hand through his tangled, emerald tresses. Freedom had never been so blissful in his eyes than at that very moment. From here on out, Anima would see to it to never lack appreciation for the proper control of his subconscious ever again. However, the strong stench of kerosene filled his nostrils and disrupted his train of thought.

The light in his jade eyes dulled with remembrance; the short period of euphoria crashing to rock bottom as images of his family's death bombarded him. Now was not the time to rejoice, and there never would be; only remorse and repenting could be allowed to lurk within his mentality.

Nothing else

Standing once more, Anima ventured up the staircase and approached the master bedroom; a weak sway hidden behind his ridged steps as he also drizzled a trail of the kerosene behind him. Rapidly realizing that his motivation was too low to even sustain balance, the soul robber placed his pale hand upon the edge of the mattress just as he began to fall forward. He could not lose strength now, not yet; there was still work for him to do.

Reestablishing his grip on the kerosene after gently laying the Sacred Green Thorn Apple on the foot of the bed, Anima doused the bedroom floor and furniture with the flammable fuel. The edges of the sheets and comforter soon followed.

Anima surveyed his surroundings in case he had missed something, but then immediately nodded in confirmation that he hadn't. Carelessly tossing aside the canister, and not even flinching as a stream of the substance escaped from the opening and splashed across the side of his face, the jade immortal crawled onto the bed and rested between Gemma and Stella; his bland countenance facing the dark ceiling. He gently grasped the tainted Sacred Green Thorn Apple in his long, sturdy fingers and positioned it over his heart. His form closely resembled that of a corpse prepared for its ceremonial burying.

A deafening period of silence overcame Anima's senses, as if his universe had frozen in this deciding moment.

Anima raised his right hand and blasted a small, frenetic sphere and collided with a nearby dresser; alighting it into a growing family of flames. His emerald eyes warily followed the trail of the inferno as it engulfed the entire row of drawers and then proceeded to greedily spread across the floorboards before creeping through the door.

Soon it would reach the stairs.

Then the din

And then the kitchen

And then the entire house

The fire was traveling fast and, as Anima took faint notice of this, a ruby glow began to obscure the darkness of the house. The soul manipulator slowly reassumed his previous position of clasping the porcelain flower over his heart and calmly fluttered his watery eyes closed; his emerald orbs already stinging from the smoke billowing in the atmosphere.

He knew he wouldn't die. He's an immortal; but what other form of punishment could he possible conjure? Burning to death was a terrible and agonizing death, and Anima was well aware of the fact that he'd feel every second of it until the flames would die out. In a twisted, yet somewhat true way, he could almost pretend as if this scenario was actually his soul suffering in the abyss of hell; just like he deserved.

Yes, this punishment would be horrible.

Coughs rattled Anima's chest as the oxygen in the air rapidly depleted.

But would it be horrible enough? Would Anima finally experience some foreclosure? No, now that Anima pondered more deeply about it, it wouldn't.

Smock filled every room of the house as sweat beaded down his face.

If even this wasn't enough, then Anima would find a way-he **will** find a way. If punishing himself for his vile, heartless actions is not the way, then perhaps punishing other rotten souls is his only solution. Yes, it all made clear sense now.

The putrid stench of burning flesh flooded his nose, and Anima didn't have to crack open his eyes to know that Gemma and Stella's motionless bodies were finally being roasted in the fire. Soon, the immortal would be cooked alive.

Kendra understood now.

She knew what Anima really is now. He is not an ignorant being. He is not a monster.

But he also isn't just a loving father or a man cursed with the cruelest of fates. No, he is much more than that; and now it is greatly evident to the magic sensor.

Flames began to tauntingly lick at Anima's sides. The house's support beams groaned and creaked as the fire ate away at them.

Kendra knows what Anima is.

And she has discovered what she is as well.

"Anima…"

Searing heat crawled over the skin of his cheeks.

Kendra's eyes scrunched together tightly as the blitzkrieg of pain began.

She blacked out.

There was no speck of light…

* * *

><p>"Dammit boyo, are you just gonna sit there?!" Evangeline screeched angrily as the intermingling dome of energy became enveloped in a dance of crackling electricity. The chibi vampire snarled as she witnessed the strings of circuitry lash out at its surroundings and leave smoking craters in multiple spots of her precious cabin. She swore to any deity that existed that she'd kill Negi herself if he didn't bring an end to this chaos soon; even if Kendra was literally on the brink of snapping the child wizard's arm in two.<p>

Zazie had already distanced herself away from the circle as soon as the voltage had twined around Kendra and Negi. Her tan hands were buried in her cotton hair as frustration and overwhelming worry flooded her system; she couldn't protect her lover no matter how hard she tried. It was failure after failure, and continuing to witness the expressions of pain ebbing into Kendra's dark visage was driving her demonic instincts up the wall.

Turning sharply at her panicking classmates, Zazie pleaded shakily.

"W-we have to do something, please! We have to help Kendra!" It took all of Zazie's control not to snarl in fury as no one immediately stepped forward to even attempt something, but then allowed a slightly startled look to appear on her face as a peculiar student slowly pulled out her pactio card.

"It's a stretch but hell, let's give it a shot! Adeat!" Yuna declared heatedly as both her form and card momentarily became illuminated in a blinding light. Once the light died, the dark haired athlete adorned her long trench coat, knee high boots, and shorts strapped to a snug corset. Twirling in each hand were her magic guns, Iris Tormentum.

Leveling her advanced aim with the unstable sphere, Yuna narrowed an eye and applied pressure on the trigger.

Evangeline's eyes widened as they landed on the basketball player's activated artifact. Her mouth gaped as she hastily called out.

"Wait! Stop you idi-"

Shots were fired.

"Fuck!" Evangeline cursed loudly as the magic bullets simply became absorbed by the bi-colored dome and sent erratic ripples through it. Not a moment later, an electric green blob began to swell on the surface before rocketing straight for Yuna.

Yuna watched as the attack sailed straight for her; eyes wide in stunning disbelief. Just as the giant jade globe was inches from her abdomen, she murmured lowly.

"Oh sh-"

FWOOOM!

"Auuuuuugh!"

"Yuna!" Makie screamed in horror as her friend's body was sent flying back and crashed into the nearest wall; her injured physique limp and unconscious on the hardwood floor. Hazy, transparent traces of steam rose from Yuna's severely burned stomach.

Gnashing her teeth in irritation, Evangeline sharply turned to Konoka and commanded loudly.

"Oi, princess! Go heal her!" Initially wincing from the harshness of her voice, Konoka firmly nodded before quickly jogging to Yuna's side; an intensely worried Makie kneeling over the unconscious basketball player all the while. If the red head gymnastics girl wasn't panicking earlier, then she was now at the sight of her friend's charred wound.

"Don't attack the shield! It'll only make things worse!" Evangeline commanded over the shrill buzzing running through the atmosphere.

"So…I guess my magic cancelling bullets are out the question then?" Without even glancing behind her to discern the source of the new voice, the blonde blood sucker grumbled bitterly.

"Unfortunately so. That immortal bastard's power can't be matched." Mana narrowed her eyes in annoyance; as she was not amused with the thought that her beloved weapons were actually useless for once. She then rolled her eyes in exasperation as the girls next to her jumped in surprise from the gunslinger's sudden appearance, _'I walked through the door for Kami's sake…'_ She drawled inwardly.

Negi felt like a full grown elephant was sitting on his arm and slowly crushing it into oblivion. To the stunned and helpless onlookers, it was obvious that the child wizard should at least attempt to pry off Kendra's insanely powerful grip. Negi initially had the same thought as well, but not even seconds after the magic sensor's dark tone hand wrapped around his appendage did the blinding pain effortlessly destroy his last shred of wisdom. He was literally reduced to the mindset of a harmless, suffering ten year old boy staring into the horrifying eyes of some supernatural monster. Streams of sweat cascaded down his temples as the heat within the bi-chromatic dome steadily increased.

The fear and pain was crippling.

Just as Negi was about to bellow another yelp of agony; his astonishment promptly shoved it back down his throat. The pressure upon his arm disappeared as Kendra's hand fell slack at her side; exposing the young boy's appalling, swollen bruise. A twinge of trepidation leaked into the pit of Negi's stomach as a significant silence rung in his ears; which was quite condescending since the buzzing was still raging on strong. Negi's brown eyes nervously shifted to glance at the expressions adorning the Ala Alba members' eclectic faces.

Each and every one of them was overcome with varying degrees of speechless horror and anxiety.

Zazie's own border-lined soul shattering.

With the knot in his abdomen now growing even larger, Negi looked down at Kendra and had instantly choked out a gasp of worry.

The magic sensor's body lay limp and unsettlingly motionless on the couch. The light in her now hazel eyes had considerably dulled to the point that her visage almost resembled that of a corpse. At first glance, the transfer student's chest didn't seem to rise and fall; as if she wasn't even breathing.

Zazie's knees buckled.

"…Ken…dra…"

She knew she was jumping to conclusions, but the Hanyou just couldn't battle the wave of despair crashing into her. There was no doubt that the sight before her would haunt her in the near future; for never in the tan demon's life would she want to witness her lover in such a grave condition.

The sinister green hue was still swimming about the pactio circle though, thus providing small, yet much needed, comfort to Zazie's frazzled mind. She was aware of one thing however; that this had to end.

Now

"Negi-San" Her low voice sharply pierced the chaotic hum pounding against everyone's ears. Feebly responding to the call of his name, Negi locked his shaky, apologetic gaze with Zazie's; he just couldn't help but feel that he was to blame for Kendra's lifeless apparel.

Maybe it would've been right to at least utter a few words of reassurance first, but Zazie could care less about that right now. Her tan countenance hardened into an indomitable frown as she voiced the dreaded command.

"You have to kiss her, Negi-San…"

"But-"

"Do it!" Squeaking in surprise from the coldness of Zazie's tone, Negi fearfully nodded and then faced Kendra once more. A millisecond moment of hesitance held captive of his body before he gulped, scrunched his eyes closed, and lowered his head.

His lips pressed onto Kendra's.

A full ten seconds passed, and yet nothing had happened. The magic sensor's lips felt cold against Negi's, but he relented against the awkward sensation and held contact. He couldn't lose his new student, he couldn't fail her-

The dome wavered erratically, cords of electricity whipped and lashed out wildly, just barely grazing a few of the students, and the buzzing grew to maddening volumes until the sphere suddenly dispersed with an earth-shattering boom. A ring of melded jade and lavender rippled through the cabin and threw everyone off their feet; extending out farther into the forest and fading once it expanded to nearly a mile in perimeter.

Amazingly, the wooden vicinity had remained intact and appeared unscathed from the detonation.

"Gah…fuck me…" Evangeline, who was sprawled out on her back, hissed under her breath as she propped herself up on her elbows. Her eyes squinted in an attempt to adjust and allow her vision to recuperate; that blast had jarred her senses ruthlessly.

However, once her eyes began to discern what was in front of her, an astonished smirk graced her pale features.

"Well I'll be damned, boyo…"

"I know," Negi started as he slumped to the floor in relief and leaned back against couch; a tiny smile also plastered across his cheeks as he held up two cards in his hand.

"…I think this is the first time I've ever seen someone get two cards."

"Ugh…" Zazie, along with the rest of Ala Alba for that matter, groaned before sitting up and massaging her eyes. Once she was sure that her irises were fine, the tattooed Hanyou cautiously cracked them open and immediately latched them onto Kendra's form.

A tear slid down her cheek.

The magic sensor was no longer staring inertly at the ceiling, but instead appeared to be sleeping. It was evident that her breathing pattern was normal as well, and a neutral look had made home upon her face. It had seemed that all forms of her previous pain had finally vanished.

As the stress of the day all came rushing back to Zazie in one foul swoop, she caved in to the pressure and unceremoniously flopped onto her back.

"Thank you, Kami"…

* * *

><p>BOO-YAH! Yes! I finally got Kendra a pactio card! And hah, bet you guys didn't think I'd give her TWO did ya? Lol, I'm so hype right now! XDDD<p>

Anyways, this is most definitely the longest chapter of my story SO FAR...that's right, I said so far. You never know with these chapters...Oh! Here are some translation thingies!

Leono is derived from the Latin name Leon, which means Lion. And the general idea of a Lion is that it's the King of the Jungle.

King of the Jungle=Leader=Clan Head=Leono.

Aldren is derived from the name Alden, in which its Anglo-Saxon meaning is Defender.

Finally, Goro has a Japanese origin and can mean either Fifth Son or Enlightened Son. Depending on this story, I was leaning more towards Enlightened Son because of Goro's job to gather information for his master Leono.

Now then, if you would please...

CLICK THE REVIEW BUTTON -_-


	30. Chapter 30

**Author's Note: **Wow...just...wow. I can't believe I haven't updated this story in so long. I honestly don't know how it happened but I had lost my muse for this story and I truly believed that all hope was lost for this...But then inspiration hit me...at 1 A.M. in the morning. And so now I'm here, posting up a chapter that's basically months(maybe even a year)past due at 3:30 A.M...Just, wow.

Well, I hope I didn't lose all of my readers. If any of you guys are actually still out there, here's a reward for all your waiting. I hope you enjoy!

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Negima or any of its characters.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 30<strong>

Stormy was having a fairly decent day; which was definitely out of the ordinary for her.

Her morning had started like usual; rudely awakened by her shrill alarm clock at six thirty in the morning, blindly stumbling into the bathroom, dressing in the Mahora Academy uniform, and then heading straight for her first class of the day. And yet, strangely enough, nothing unfortunate or unlucky had happened to Stormy.

The half-Japanese student had long ago established a scientific law about herself: Something bad was bound to fall upon her every, single day. One of the most reoccurring mishaps would be when she seemingly tripped on air and nearly crashed face-first to the floor; Stormy was just glad that her countenance never actually made impact before.

So now the small brunette had successfully made it to her desk in one piece and that fact alone honestly baffled her. _'I really thought I would've tripped today already…'_ She commented inwardly while slightly curling into herself; pensive gaze glued to her desk top. Unconsciously doing so out of habit, a habit that Stormy never figured out where it comes from, she inconspicuously shifted around her jaw as the skepticism deepened.

On the other hand, her classmates' attitudes were polar opposites as they chatted animatedly with each other; apparently blind to the green eyed student's contemplative expression. It was expected though; even if Stormy's looks were perceived as naturally beautiful by many others, her presence was oddly ignored most of the time by her peers. Stormy's shy and reclusive personality was a huge contribution to this, but there was always a tiny flicker of hope in her heart that one day someone would regularly approach her.

That's when Stormy was absolutely sure that her principle was being challenged, because something lucky-and quite coincidental-in the form of a fairly pretty, female classmate suddenly turned in her seat to face her. Her pale face beamed with one of the sunniest carefree smiles Stormy had ever seen. She almost felt silly for thinking that her emerald orbs just might burn from the radiance of it.

"Ohayo, Takahikone-San!" Just as the greeting left her, Stormy attempted to politely greet back, but instead her mouth froze into an awkward 'O' and only timid silence followed. The girl tilted her head curiously while arching a brow; clearly confused with the brunette's lack of socialness. However, as quick as the puzzled look appeared, it was once again supplanted by that confident grin of hers.

"Man, I heard the rumors that you didn't talk much but…" She trailed off sheepishly while scratching the back of her head.

A faint shade of pink decorated Stormy's face in embarrassment. Gulping back her inconvenient shyness, she managed to force out weakly.

"O…Ohayo, Kimiwaru-San." An over-dramatic gag escaped the girl referred to Kimiwaru as her flawless face scrunched up with playful disgust. This had undoubtedly puzzled Stormy, as she was sure that she hadn't offended her classmate in anyway.

Waving her hand like she was swatting at a fly, the attractive girl replied.

"There's no need to call me that, Takahikone-San. Sho is just fine with me!" Stormy had thought it wasn't possible, but the bubbliness behind Sho's smile had suddenly increased ten-fold; and yet it didn't come off as disturbingly forced or unnatural. In a rare moment of allowing her shyness to recede, Stormy cocked an eyebrow skeptically before countering quietly.

"Then it's only fair that you call me Stormy, Sho-San…I-I mean, if that's okay with you." The small brunette inwardly cursed; a bit frustrated that she had ruined her seemingly normal statement with that timid comment at the end. Valiantly ignoring the humiliated heat rising in her cheeks and silently praying that her chances of gaining a friend were still intact, Stormy carefully awaited Sho's reaction.

It wasn't a reaction she had expected.

A lop-sided and wide grin stretched across her lips, her finger stroked her chin in a comical thinking pose, and her dark eyes gained a delighted twinkle in them. Humming in what Stormy could only guess as a weird mixture of contemplation and satisfaction, Sho agreed smoothly.

"Well played, well played~. You've proven to be a worthy foe, Stormy-San." Just the tiniest hint of a grin spread across Stormy's cheeks; a bit amused with the girl's playful antics. However, her pesky reclusiveness instantly returned and her smile vanished from existence. Thoughts of doubt lurked in the depths of her brain; truly wondering what this girl's ulterior motive could possibly be.

Sho, who immediately noticed Stormy's abrupt change of demeanor, tilted her head curiously.

"Umm…Are you okay-"

"Sho-Chan! Come over here and talk with us!" Another girl called jubilantly; her strangely carefree smile not settling well with Stormy for some odd reason.

Her appearance was counteractively similar and varied in comparison to Stormy. They both shared brown, flowing masses of hair, but this girl's own ran down to her lower back in perfect, straight locks while Stormy's only reached her mid-back and was slightly curled. Also, her eyelashes were far longer and more feminine than the shy kouhai's; to the point that it was obviously unnatural and enhanced with tediously applied make-up. Finally, the feature that most painfully stood out to Stormy was the confident and ensured aura literally flooding from the girl's exuberant form; a complete opposite in juxtaposition to the stuffed seal lover's meek presence.

Stormy was a force of modest beauty but this girl was in a flashy, aesthetic league way beyond a level that the kouhai wouldn't even dare try reaching. _'She's almost like a young super-model…'_ This thought had rung with clear despondency, as Stormy wasn't afraid to admit that she had always been a bit jealous of her popular classmate's confidence.

Detectable disappointment and apology flashed through Sho's opaque eyes before she swiftly turned to the girl and replied with a fake, heavy pout.

"Mou, Tsunami-Chan! Didn't your parents teach you not to yell commands at people?" The artificially beautiful girl named Tsunami rolled her cocoa eyes good-naturedly.

"Hai, hai, sorry! Just get over here, I'm bored and need someone to talk to~!" Stormy visibly cringed as the flirty tone once again coated Tsunami's words. Any form of a shrill, high-pitched sound grated harshly on the girl's sanity; although, weirdly enough, whenever a noise like that emitted from her it wasn't nearly as taxing to bear.

However, Sho seemed to have developed immunity towards the sound since she didn't even flinch. Lazily widening her beaming smile, the sunny female turned to face Stormy once more and waved almost reluctantly.

"I gotta go, Stormy-San. Talk to you later, right?" The promise to converse with Stormy in the near future came from her in the form of a question, and the introverted girl had to shrug off her surprise at this notion. Gulping inaudibly, Stormy cracked a tiny, awkward smile and nodded; failing royally to repress the rosy pink rushing to her cheeks.

This answer seemed to be more than enough to brighten the girl's already radiant mood. Revealing a blinding, toothy smile, Sho allowed her gaze to linger on Stormy before trotting over to Tsunami with a large pep in her step. As soon as she plopped down in a seat next to the popular girl, Tsunami clutched her arm almost possessively and began to chat endlessly.

Just from witnessing that short interaction, the small, flickering flame of hope in Stormy's heart was extinguished, _'Who am I kidding? She's got her to talk with; why would she waste time with me?'_ Even if the last ten minutes had indeed transpired, the kouhai truly believed that this entire situation must be some kind of sick scheme. True, Stormy was attractive and, as most have declared, adorable in her own right; but her social skills were so lacking that her appearance couldn't possibly make up for it. No one would be so excited and eager to speak with her; it was like talking with a stuttering, bumbling, and anxious brick wall.

Before the girl could bury herself any further in her despondent thoughts, the school bell chimed and first block began. Doing so with practiced ease, Stormy simply tossed aside her dark emotions and gained a semi-neutral expression. Right before her fern green orbs locked onto the teacher's tall form, she caught sight of something unusual.

Stormy wasn't sure…but she could've sworn that Tsunami had quickly glanced in her direction before turning away with a huff, _'Did I…do something wrong?'_ Confusion fleeted across the timid student's features, but before she could ponder any deeper about it, the teacher's lecture reaffirmed her attention…

* * *

><p>With a clang, a freckled teen threw down her spoon on her tray and finally caved in to her curiosity.<p>

"Okay, Sho-San! What's the deal?" She exclaimed rather loudly as she turned to face her optimistic friend. Obviously, the noisy enquiry had caught everyone else's attention at the lunch table, and each set of eyes turned to the pair in interest and equal perplexity.

Arching her eyebrows innocently at the sudden spotlight, Sho quickly gulped down her mouth full of Jell-O and replied calmly.

"I already told you, Kuma-San, if you can go a week without crying after losing a game then I'd pay you-"

"N-not that baka!" Kuma shouted in a bout of embarrassment as her dotted cheeks gained a soft pink hue; bravely ignoring her table mates' chortling in the background.

"Mou, you don't have to yell at me." Sho responded with a fake whimper and playful glimmer in her opaque eyes. Kuma raised a warning finger at her classmate with her countenance scrunched up in poorly repressed ire. The freckled teen hissed.

"I'm talking about first block!" Unlike before, Sho's enthusiasm was swiftly traded out for confusion; as her subtle head tilt was evidence enough.

"What do you mean? What about first block?" Just as Kuma attempted to open her mouth and answer, a different, feminine voice interrupted casually.

"She's talking about when you talked with Akisuke-San, Sho-Chan." Tsunami's stare was seemingly void of any skepticism or criticalness, but Sho had known Tsunami long enough to decipher the attractive girl's distaste for this topic. However, that didn't change the unfortunate fact that Sho was terrible at conjuring up wise responses.

"Um, it's Takahikone, Tsunami-Chan. Not Akisuke-"

"Doesn't matter" Tsunami intervened with a dismissive wave; already feeling just a tad irked that Sho had memorized Stormy's complex name with ease.

"Just tell us what you're up to. Why were you talking with her?" Instead of acknowledging Tsunami's question, Sho's stubbornness reared itself as she stated in a level tone.

"I think it does matter. Wouldn't you want people to say your name right, Tsunami-Chan?" This time a slightly exasperated eye roll escaped Tsunami before murmuring dryly.

"Yes, yes her name is Takahikone, happy? Now can you please tell us what's going on?" Sho's brow furrowed just the tiniest bit as she scooped another spoonful of Jell-O without tearing her dark gaze from Tsunami. After several silent moments of chewing, the serene teen shrugged her shoulders.

"I just wanted to talk with her. There's no law against it or anything-"

"What did you two talk about?" Kuma interjected nosily; her tone much less strained with humiliation than a few moments ago.

Sho was known to be a fairly patient and relaxed girl, but even she can feel the occasional tug of irritation arise within her. _'Why did this suddenly turn into an interrogation?'_ She wondered warily while slowly setting down her spoon and absorbing her friends' prodding expressions. Her eyebrows shifted downward even more until a rare frown made home upon her pale visage and turned to face Kuma fully.

"Why do you want to know? It was a harmless little chat, Kuma-San." Now it was Kuma's turn to adorn a stern frown, feeling displeased with her classmate's sudden rebellious attitude. Waving her metal utensil in Sho's face as if she was a mother chiding their child, Kuma shot back.

"Harmless or not, I want a proper answer to my question young lady!"

Sho's eyes widened.

"…You know…You sounded way too much like my mom just now, Kuma-San."

"Of course I do! I've only visited your place about, what, a million times already?" Kuma estimated absentmindedly without lowering her spoon and still assuming the scolding mother position. Sho scratched her chin thoughtfully while mumbling under her breath.

"Hmmm, this is true…Wow, my mom really rubbed off on you, ne? How much time do you spend with her you sick, sick little girl-"

"W-what?! Ew, that's just-no! Your mom's cool and everything for always making us food but Kami no-"

"Weren't we talking about Akisuke-San?" Tsunami interjected with a deep sigh. Taking less than a second to halt in the middle of their banter, Sho turned to Tsunami and corrected calmly.

"Takahikone"

That earned another eye roll from Tsunami.

"Yeah, I said that, Takahikone-San…Seriously, Sho, what did you say to her?"

"Yeah and don't change the subject this time!" Kuma proclaimed loudly with a stern glare; although the pout accompanying it completely obliterated the intimidation behind her stare. Realizing that her fun had presumptuously came to an end, Sho finally sighed in surrender before picking up her spoon and idly playing with her lunch. Directing a look at Tsunami that could've scarcely been labeled as nervous, the dark-haired girl answered slowly.

"Well, we honestly didn't say much. Um, I said hey, she said hey, but then I told her she could just call me Sho and then…Actually, it was surprising…" Sho trailed off as a wistful gleam danced across her opaque orbs and an unconscious, tiny smile spread upon her cheeks; as if she was momentarily reminiscing about her conversation with Stormy.

Quickly realizing this, Tsunami, with almost panicked gusto, gestured for Kuma to snap Sho out of her dazed reverie. Understanding the silent command, Kuma firmly nudged her friend's shoulder and grunted jokingly.

"Wake up. You still got third and fourth block to suffer through!" For the shortest moment, a look of surprise fleeted across Sho's features before it smoothed out with serene optimism.

"Right…third and fourth will be a torturous journey, but I gotta hang in there for the good of the people." Kuma was just about to ask what 'people' Sho was speaking of, but then immediately clamped her mouth shut as she caught sight of Tsunami's slightly peeved expression. Weakly tugging at the dark haired girl's sleeve, Kuma whispered in renewed fear.

"She's gonna bust a vein and wreak havoc on our souls if you don't answer her questions!" Although Sho had a naturally pale complexion, she seemed to become even paler at this revelation while chuckling meekly.

"I-I'll just get right to the point then, Tsunami-Chan…"

"I think I'd like that!" Tsunami chirped with sudden glee; the optimism posing as a mask for her kindling impatience. Sho sheepishly scratched the back of her head as she momentarily pondered on how to form her response.

"Well…the thing is, Takahikone-San was actually pretty cool to talk with. I don't know. It didn't really last long, but she even made a joke and smiled! How unexpected is that, ne?" The dark-haired teen enquired eagerly with her dark orbs glimmering with delight. Kuma directed a skeptical stare at her friend. Pretending as if she was holding up a flashlight in front of Sho's eyes, Kuma muttered in a voice that oddly sounded like the impersonation of a police officer.

"Mam, have you been drinking tonight?" The twinkle behind Sho's dark orbs grew in intensity as she replied cheekily.

"Just a few root beers-give or take."

However, as quickly as her mirth appeared, the girl's optimism left her and became replaced with a hint of realization.

"Wait…it's not _**that**_ hard to believe. Takahikone-San isn't some cyborg without feelings you know-"

"Could've fooled me…" Tsunami mumbled while indifferently inspecting her perfectly manicured nails; apparently unaware of the fact that Sho's face actually tightened with discontent. Abruptly abandoning all forms of positivity, the dark eyed female rested her forearms on the lunch table and leaned towards her beautiful companion.

"Seriously, Tsunami-Chan, what's your problem with Takahikone-San?" Once again, Tsunami chose to dismiss Sho's serious tone with a soft scoff and over-pronounced eye roll. She decided to amuse her long-time friend though and replied lightly.

"It's not that I have a problem with her, Sho-Chan."

"Then what? Why won't you give her a chance?" Not many others at the table had noticed, but Kuma clearly deciphered the silver of desperation, confusion, and-surprisingly enough-irritation leaking through Sho's words. The freckled teen arched an eyebrow, _'why is this getting her so worked up? It's just Takahikone-San…'_ Kuma nervously chewed on her spoon, already not liking where the heated conversation between her two friends were leading to.

Alluring orbs narrowing with annoyance, Tsunami shot Sho a glare heavy with accusation.

"Won't give her a chance? You're acting like I'm the only one who does this! That was the first time you ever talked to her, isn't it?" Sho's strong front faltered a bit at this true statement and muttered feebly.

"W-well, yeah, but…" Tsunami didn't let up on her ranting though.

"And I already gave her a chance! Everybody did! And what did she do? Nothing. She didn't say anything, didn't do anything, for Kami's sake Sho-Chan all she ever does is shrug and clam up like a hermit crab!" The beautiful brunette's irises burned with a paradox muddle of conviction to her beliefs about Stormy and festering hurt-wounded that Sho had developed a seemingly genuine interest in the shy girl that Tsunami had never received from her.

Every muscle in Sho's arms and jaw tensed at her friend's words as a ball of emotion welled up and seethed deep in her gut. Against her own accord, her pale hands clenched into twin fists on the table and shook from the force behind it for the shortest period of a second. The pale girl's visage remained professionally passive though as Tsunami continued to belittle Stormy. Kuma, sensing a shroud of tension stealthily settling into the atmosphere, nervously reached out to her angered classmate and interjected weakly.

"H-hey, Tsunami-San, just breathe, okay? Calm do-"

"No, Kuma-San!" Tsunami grumbled out before sharply returning her attention to a silent and rigid Sho.

"What did you see, huh? What did you see in her today that suddenly changed your mind? Was it something poetic or cliché like, 'oh, her eyes shined with a vitality and love for life'? Because if it is then you're seriously an idiot-"

"Hey! Come on Tsunami-San, there's no reason to go off calling her an idiot!" Kuma protested defensively with a frown embedded upon her thin lips. Pouting indignantly at Kuma, Tsunami retorted curtly.

"Well I wouldn't be feeling like this if Sho-Chan didn't go all bipolar on us and talked to Taka-"

"SHUT UP!" Sho uncharacteristically bellowed in a volume just a step below a yell.

The table fell silent-each occupant ogling the girl with wide eyes.

Tsunami's eyes were the widest pair of them all, and were also glistening with an unshed layer of tears. A gentle sniffle emitted from the girl and, just like that, all of the anger coursing through Sho's veins vanished into thin air as the sight plucked at one of her most sensitive heart strings. Despite the fact that Tsunami lost her temper and had been way out of line with her insults, she was still the dark-eyed teen's best friend ever since the third grade. Sho's shoulders slumped as she breathed out apologetically.

"Tsunami-Chan…I-I'm sorry I-"

"You know what," Tsunami gasped out behind a restrained sob.

"I thought you were my best friend, Sho-Chan…a-and that you cared about me. But obviously Takahikone-San is more important to you!" Sho's heart plummeted into the pit of her stomach as all color drained from her cheeks. Frantically scooting her chair closer to Tsunami's own, the usually calm teen gently placed a hand upon her shoulder and rushed out.

"No, Tsunami-Chan, no! Th-that's not it, I just-I don't, I…"

"For Kami's sake," Kuma started while tiredly pinching the bridge of her freckled nose and screwing her eyes shut.

"Rule one of life, never make a girl cry!" Immediately facing her friend without distancing herself from Tsunami, Sho blurted out in a panicky tone.

"B-but I didn't _**mean**_ to make her cry! And we're girls too!" By this point everyone else at the table either had their arms crossed and shaking their heads in disappointment at Sho or avoiding the awkward situation all together by pretending to be more interested in finishing their lunch. Betrayal and helplessness swelled within Sho as she turned a pleading gaze to her table-mates; only to find no assistance from any of them, _'why me?'_

"W-what do I do, Kuma-San?!" Throwing her arms up in exasperation, Kuma replied loudly.

"It isn't rocket science! Just make her happy again!"

"But how?!"

Kuma's face went blank.

"…"

"…"

"…Not sure. Emotions are as complicated as rocket science or something…"

It took all of Sho's will power not to groan in defeat right then and there, but she knew now definitely wasn't the time for that. Refocusing her attention back on Tsunami-who steadily had tears rolling down her rosy cheeks-Sho awkwardly patted her shoulders while muttering as soothingly as possible.

"Hey, I'm sorry Tsunami-Chan, really. I-I didn't mean to make you cry. Look, um…w-what can I do to make you happy again, huh? Just give the word and I'll do it…"

And just like that, the leak in the dam was patched up, and Tsunami leveled her slightly blood-shot gaze with Sho's. Her cocoa orbs glistened-with either tears or something else, Sho wasn't quite sure-as a tiny smile graced her full, pink lips.

"R-really? You'll do anything?" Completely and utterly blinded by her desire to please her childhood friend, Sho held both of Tsunami's dainty hands within her slightly larger ones and echoed eagerly.

"Anything!"

Tsunami's smirk grew.

"Well…you could do one thing." _'That stupid hermit crab will never have __**my**__ Sho-Chan'_ Her thoughts hissed venomously…

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><p>Adults confused Stormy.<p>

Instead of basking in the sweet goodness that is hot chocolate, most grown-ups would rather indulge in a steaming mug of bitter, black coffee. While most kids and teens would literally trample over each other racing to get out the house and enjoy the sun, their parents preferred to stay inside and glue their eyes to the mundane pages of a non-fiction hardback book. Above all else, adults had an uncanny love for constant-not temporary, but constant-silence and serenity. Stormy could understand the bliss that came with the occasional peace, but even her youthful heart grew restless at some point.

As she sat at a lone table in the library during afterschool hours, nose buried in a Geometry textbook, this proved to be one of those times.

For two hours straight Stormy had endured the gentle torture that was silence, and she was just about at the end of her rope. A dull ache originated from her shoulders and upper back, as she had been hunched over the book at an uncomfortable angle the entire time. The timid brunette straightened her spine with an inconspicuous stretch of her arms and had to stifle a sigh of relief when a trio of quiet pops reached her ears. Relaxing her tired posture afterwards, Stormy stole glances over her shoulder before quickly retracting her phone from her skirt pocket and checking the time. From the looks of it, she still had a whole hour and a half to waste in the library before returning to her dorm.

She inwardly groaned at this. Stormy wasn't sure how much longer her patience could endure this tedious studying; if only her Geometry teacher, Mr. Sudoku, could learn to lighten up a bit and give his students more time to prepare for tests. Stormy wasn't too sure, but it seems like Mr. Sudoku had become more stressed and harsher on his lessons lately-always whispering about some 'demon student from hell' under his breath. Stormy brushed aside this train of thought however; as long as she isn't this particular student her teacher is seething about then she won't ponder so much about it.

But still, she wouldn't mind knowing who it is because that person must have some serious guts to get on Mr. Sudoku's bad side.

Stormy was brought from her thoughts when another individual pulled out the chair across from her and seated herself; carrying a Geometry textbook of her own as well.

"Hey, Stormy-San, mind if I sit here~?" Sho asked bubbly with her signature toothy smile.

Emerald eyes practically bulging out of their sockets and gaping like a fish straight out of water, Stormy was clearly left flabbergasted at the female's sudden appearance. Luckily for the introverted girl, she managed to regain a portion of her composure and clamped her mouth shut before it could catch any flies. A quiet gulp escaped the brunette before she greeted shyly.

"H-hey, Kimiwaru-San-"

"Na, ah, ah!" Sho suddenly interjected with a raised finger and eyebrow.

"What did I tell you earlier? Just call me Sho, Stormy-San!" An awkward moment of perplexity overcame Stormy until she finally recalled their short conversation earlier that day. Her memory of it still seemed so surreal, as she was still unable to believe that she had actually traded pleasantries with such an optimistic and popular person. Unconsciously shifting around her jaw out of nervousness, Stormy provided a weak smile and corrected herself.

"R-right, Sho-San…Sorry." Sho simply waved off her apology with a lop-sided grin and shake of her head.

"Don't worry about it, Stormy-San. So, you're studying for the Geometry test tomorrow?" Choosing to answer with actions-and inwardly hoping that it wouldn't come off as sarcastic or rude-Stormy simply lifted her textbook and flashed the hardback cover; using the large object to momentarily hide her amused smirk as Sho comically poked out her lower lip in compliance.

"Okay, okay, stupid question, I'll admit that. But hey, guess who's gonna be your study partner~. And no cheating missy, I've got my eyes on you!" She challenged cheekily while mirroring Stormy's previous antics and using her own book to cloak her mischievous smile. The timid kouhai just couldn't help it; maybe it was the fact that Sho always acted so relaxed and open around her, but Stormy didn't have the chance to stop herself from rolling her eyes playfully and murmuring.

"Hmm, I'm probably wrong but…is it the Tooth Fairy?" A mockingly sympathetic hiss slipped past Sho's cringing teeth.

"Ohhhh, so close! But the answer we were looking for was 'the lovely lady sitting across from me'! But don't worry, you can always try again next year on Are You As Awesome As Sho-"

"Shhh!" Both teens jumped from the harsh shushing they received from the library lady; who was glaring nastily at them from her location behind the book check-out desk. Stormy retracted back into her imaginary shell and felt her cheeks tint dark pink in shame while Sho politely apologized in a hushed tone, only to childishly stick out her tongue at the woman as soon as she turned around. Stormy chuckled under her breath at this, and could feel her smile widen when an air of triumph emitted from Sho-she felt a sort of great accomplishment whenever she made Stormy laugh.

Not really paying much attention, Sho opened to a random page in her Geometry textbook and placed it flat on the table before leaning forward on it to whisper.

"Jeez, that lady gets snappy with everyone, ne? Maybe she needs to go out on a date or something. What do you think?" Like before, Stormy gave a wordless response in the form of nodding her head giddily while releasing a soft giggle. Although Sho was drastically distracting her from her studies, the small brunette couldn't find it in herself to care; besides, listening to the attractive teen's funny commentary was much more entertaining.

Sho stroked her chin thoughtfully before her face lit up and snapped her fingers.

"I got it, she could go on a blind date with Big Foot! I heard he's been kind of lonely…Actually, no. Bad idea, the big guy is insecure about going out with women whose feet are bigger than his…" Stormy had to bite her lip to stop herself from chortling too loudly and agitating the library lady again.

"Wait, wait, I got it. How about The Lockness Monster? I heard the ladies really dig his scales." Again, Stormy needed to muffle her laughter; this time actually having to press a hand over her entire mouth. Sho beamed serenely at the sight before fully sitting back into her seat and crossing her arms with a long sigh.

"Actually, that's a bust too. I think I heard some rumor going around that he's been running around with Ursula, of all people. Nasty, right? You would think he'd go for Ariel or something!"

"Maybe your theory about scales is wrong?" Stormy quipped just barely above whisper, but Sho had caught every bit of it—if her amused and sunny smile is of any indication. A comical pout adorned her pale, yet glowing features as she whined.

"Mou, why does my theory have to be wrong? Maybe Ariel has weird tastes and doesn't dig the scales like the ladies are supposed to. Did you ever think of that?" The corners of Stormy's lips twitched upwards as her emerald orbs roamed the ceiling; pretending as if she was mulling the question over in her mind before latching her gaze back onto Sho's.

"You're right…I didn't think about that. I'm sorry, Kimiwa-"

"What was that?" Sho interrupted sharply with her eyes closed and left ear quirked in the brunette's direction. Stormy immediately understood her slip-up and inwardly cursed when the familiar sensation of heat crept up to her cheeks.

"…S-Sho-San."

"You called~?" The dark-haired teen drawled teasingly. Finding herself unable to come up with a witty reply, Stormy simply smiled in return before finally reaffirming her attention to her studies-she's more than likely short on time now since she spent so much of it chatting away with Sho, not that she regretted doing so. With Stormy's vision no longer on her, Sho allowed her exuberance to gradually leak from her countenance to only leave guilt and concern in its wake.

It was truly a shame. Stormy had been one of the sweetest girls she's ever met, but unfortunately, her priorities lied within sustaining her cherished friendship with Tsunami.

'_If only they got to know you first, Stormy-San…'_

At the speed of light, Sho's bubbly demeanor was reborn as soon as she realized that Stormy's jade gaze landed on her form once again. By Kami's mercy how she wished-_**begged**_-for the brunette to not look at her with such an innocent, trusting stare; it only made her mission even harder to follow through, _'The things I do for Tsunami-Chan…'_

Clearing her throat, Sho instantly thought up of a topic that would surely block out her ever-growing self-reproach. In fact, the attractive teen wondered why she hadn't brought this up sooner, as it had been a fresh rumor buzzing about the popular kids circle today.

"Hey uh, Stormy-San? I heard that you actually got to talk to that creepy transfer student…What was her name again? Guinyard-San, I think? Is it true?" Stormy blinked as she observed a pair of glimmering, dark pupils stare upon her like a pleading puppy.

Puppy dog eyes are really unfair sometimes.

The brunette's natural awkwardness finally awoken from its rare slumber as Stormy babbled anxiously.

"W-well I, um…I guess, yeah, I did…w-why?" With the rumor confirmed, Sho made no attempt to restrain the wide and awed smile that nearly split her face in two.

"Are you serious? That basically makes you legendary, I'm not kidding! Oh, wait," Suddenly shifting down in her seat to get cozy and pretending as if she was eating from a large tub of popcorn, Sho stared up intently at Stormy before encouraging hastily.

"Go on, go on. Tell me from the beginning and don't leave out any details." Sho's antics seemed to serve its purpose in easing Stormy's sudden anxiety as a small grin grew on the brunette's face. Shrugging shyly, the green-eyed kouhai muttered.

"She's not all that creepy, w-well, at first she kind of was but…" Stormy struggled to properly describe Kendra. Even though she truly believed that the transfer student's personality wasn't as cold and abrasive as the school population assumed, she still had a hard time finding the right words to convince Sho otherwise. Also, it didn't help the fact that a slightly puzzled look had dominated Sho's pale features, the attractive teen already doubting Stormy's words.

Face unconsciously pinching with contemplation, Stormy continued cautiously.

"But overall, my conversation with her was s-surprisingly pleasant. Kendra-San even told me herself that she's not as mean as everyone thinks…She asked me about my hobbies and, I'm still not sure…but I think she indirectly complimented me at some point. But she was j-just so…calm and casual about it that I couldn't even tell…" An incredulous smile tugged at the corner of Stormy's mouth.

"And as if Kendra-San couldn't be more confusing, Sho-San, she actually looked sad about it. She was upset..." Stormy repeated absentmindedly as her brow furrowed; as even she was still unable to grasp the thought. Her memory of the event was still fresh in her mind and was perfectly accurate, but it didn't make the task of accepting it as reality any easier to accomplish. _'It's like seeing a dragon cuddle with a koala bear, unreal…'_ The analogy was a ridiculous one, but that's the first image that popped into Stormy's head.

Sho blinked silently at Stormy, wondering why the girl had halted in the middle of her story. As far as the dark-haired girl was concerned-and as sincere as Stormy sounded-she still couldn't find it in herself to believe that the intimidating transfer student would willingly show kindness to anyone. Choosing to retain her passive and peaceful nature, Sho hummed curiously before stating.

"So I guess Guinyard-San pretty much likes you, huh? I don't think I've ever seen her talk to anyone at this school besides that girl who performs at the Nightmare Carnival. Uh, what's her name…" The dark haired teen trailed off unsurely as her lips stretched in goofy, awkward directions; hoping that one of the unusual angles will assist her tongue's memory.

Of course, the action was useless in its initial goal, but had definitely succeeded in weeding out yet another giggle from Stormy. However, the shy brunette immediately took pity on the pale girl and answered quietly.

"Um, I think you're talking about Rainyday-San." Sho snapped her fingers as she proclaimed triumphantly.

"That's her name! Rainyday-San! Zazie Rainyday-" Her head peeking over the desk at break neck speed, the library lady bared her teeth as she hissed loudly.

"Shhhhh!"

Stormy and Sho cringed as the former revealed a guilty smile while the latter simply rolled her opaque eyes. The pair quickly reaffirmed their attention back on each other and allowed a wordless moment to pass. Finally, Sho shattered the silence with an undignified snort before succumbing to a chain of muffled giggles. Stormy soon followed suit.

"Man, that lady is seriously too stiff for her own good!" The pale teen whispered humorously. Stormy could only nod in agreement.

As unbelievable as it was, Sho didn't attempt to sway Stormy's focus again when the brunette continued studying her Geometry. Only the sounds of flipping pages and occasional frustrated sighs-obviously emitted from Stormy whenever she encountered a particularly challenging math problem-filled the atmosphere between them. However, this silence was far from comforting, peaceful, or mutual.

The emerald eyed kouhai had the odd suspicion that she was being watched, and by Sho of all people. Her jade orbs stole a glance at her popular classmate, but then had to choke back a noise of surprise when dark eyes looked back at her in amusement. The shy girl instantly latched her vision back onto her textbook, _'Sh-she really is staring at me!'_ Stormy immediately shot down the idea though, _'no, no that's stupid! Why would she be staring at me? It's not she's looking at anything special…'_ Her melancholy thoughts came to a halt however when she realized something quite relieving; she had just reviewed the last problem within her geometry book.

Doing so as casually but stealthily as possible, Stormy once again pulled out her phone and checked the time.

She still had about an hour to spare.

Inwardly shrugging, the brunette figured she could at least browse around for a bit and search for a new book to check-out. Besides cuddling with her stuffed otter and watching television; the meek underclassmen didn't have many forms of entertainment, _'I guess a good book could help the afternoon go by faster…'_ Just as Stormy opened her to mouth reluctantly inform Sho that she was about to leave, the pale teen in question perked up as she asked optimistically.

"Oh yeah, I almost forgot but, do you mind if I walk with you back to your dorm? It's always boring walking by myself." To top off her request, the attractive girl beamed a wide, toothy smile. The look was indefinitely hard for Stormy to resist; but in all honesty she wouldn't have attempted to resist in the first place. To say that the brunette was pleasantly surprised and flattered by Sho's request was a huge understatement.

Twin emerald orbs glittered happily as Stormy cracked a small grin.

"Sure, Sho-San! Um, are we leaving now? Because if we are I actually want to check out a book first…" Without missing a beat, Sho raised both of her pale hands in a halting fashion and decreed casually.

"Don't say anymore! Do all the book surfing you want, Stormy-San."

"Book surfing?"

"It's a real sport in some countries." Sho quipped matter-of-factly.

"I honestly don't think it is…"

"Yes it is"

"Really, I don't think it exists in any country Sho-San…"

"Shush! Don't question my brilliance on foreign sports!"

"…"

"…"

"I'm just saying-"

"Kami," Sho began with an over-exaggerated roll of her dark eyes and feigned tone of irritation.

"Just go and find your book, smart mouth! Jeez, you can never let somebody win, can you?" The popular teen was absolutely certain that her sarcasm and playfulness would be registered clearly by Stormy; so it was expected that Sho was startled when she saw the brunette's face droop with guilt as she stood from the table.

"G-gomen, you're right. I shouldn't have-"

"Whoa, wait, wait, wait! Time out!" Sho interrupted frantically while crossing her hands to form a 'T' shape.

Stormy blinked in bafflement.

"I-I was just joking, Stormy-San! Joking! You're not a smart mouth at all. I mean, you're nowhere near it. You're so un-smart mouth, that you're basically a dumb mouth…"

A beat of silence

"Uh…gomen. That sounded way better in my head…"

"It did?" Stormy prodded as she chuckled under her breath. An intense look of contemplation crossed Sho's face; actually taking her new friend's simple enquiry into deep consideration. Finally, a defeated sigh escaped the attractive teen.

"No, it didn't…actually I think it sounded even worse in my head!" As Stormy trotted past Sho, the shy kouhai managed to mutter in between her giggles.

"Don't worry Sho-San, I won't hold it against you." Sho revealed a smug smile while leaning back on the hind legs of her chair. Not caring whether or not Stormy would hear her, the attractive teen added.

"Well, duh! No one could ever hold a grudge against me since I'm too adorable for that."

Stormy wisely left her comeback unspoken, _'might as well let Sho-San boost her ego a little.'_

Minutes later, the emerald eyed girl found herself searching a shelf within the fiction and epics section; hoping to find a text that would be long and interesting enough to keep her entertained for a while. So far, not a single title had caught her attention and her patience was borderline empty. Just as the young student was about to admit defeat, her jade gaze was instantly snared onto the spine of one particular book.

Initially, the ancient and moldy book had only demanded her focus because she was wondering why the library had such a disgusting item in stock. But, after taking a moment of gently slide the large manuscript out of its slot and observing it more closely, Stormy couldn't deny that the title slightly intrigued her. Her voice didn't make a single sound as she mouthed the words.

'_Legend of the heroic Shikigami...'_ Stormy flipped to the introduction and briefly read the first few lines. She felt a bit confused with the style of it but the meek brunette had a strange hunch that indulging in the story would be worthwhile. With a casual shrug, she clutched the large book to her chest and returned to the table.

Sho stood facing Stormy with her bag and materials collected; that signature sunny smile of hers growing as the brunette approached closer. However, just the slightest trace of hesitation coursed through Stormy when she discretely scrutinized Sho's expression.

Stormy could have been wrong.

In fact, Stormy wanted to be wrong.

But it seemed as though Sho's smile wasn't genuine…even forced.

Stormy immediately batted away her doubts though and returned Sho's smile with a shy grin of her own.

"Ready to rock and roll, Book Surfer?" Sho asked jokingly with a crooked smile. Of course, Stormy was well aware that Sho intended to tease her with the nickname, but the reclusive student couldn't help but notice the subtle tremor in her new friend's voice.

Sho's confidence had momentarily faltered.

'_Is she…nervous? Why?'_ Before Stormy could ask about it a gentle arm had wrapped around her shoulders and guided her towards the library exit. Stormy sputtered from the surprise contact but then stood rigid as her cheeks tinted soft pink; inwardly horrified at the sound she made, _'smooth Stormy, real smooth...'_ Fortunately, Sho either chose to ignore her classmate's odd reaction or didn't hear it at all.

"So, stupid question Book Surfer but you do live in Building A, right? I mean, we're both in the same grade and all." Once again, Stormy was rewarded with the sight of Sho's endearingly sheepish grin; the expression lop-sided and innocent in all its sunny glory.

To make it even better, Stormy failed to find any nervousness this time. She nodded.

"Yeah, you're ri-…Sho-San? What's wrong?" The green eyed brunette questioned cautiously when Sho had suddenly halted where she stood. Not a moment later, the attractive teen began fidgeting and embarrassment infected her flawless features.

"Uh, yeah, the thing is, I kinda have to, uh…pee. Um, can we make a stop at the restrooms? Pretty please with an awesome Sho on top?"

Stormy sweat dropped.

"O-oh…Sure, Sho-San…"

"Arigatou!" Sho declared loudly—and even a bit desperately—as she seemed to simultaneous grasp Stormy's hands in thanks and run towards a nearby building. A small chain of chortles escaped Stormy when she saw Sho nearly trip over her own feet from sprinting so frantically, _'wow, she really has to go.' _

After waiting five minutes, Stormy decided to seat herself on a nearby bench and blankly stare ahead into empty space; allowing her thoughts to run rampant. _'I still can't believe it. Today has to be some kind of cruel, twisted dream if Sho-San, popular, pretty, and nicest girl in my grade Sho-San, wants to even talk with me…For Kami's sake, she's walking back to the dorms with me!'_ An astonished exhale fleeted from her smiling lips as the reality of today's events finally registered in her mind. _'Wow…wow…I just can't b-believe it…wow…'_

Stormy could feel an overwhelming rush of hope seep into her heart but, with a shaky breath, forced the feeling to subside as quickly as it came. There was no need to allow her emotions to cloud her logic and judgment. Although Sho and, in an unusual way, Kendra have obviously showed that they're interested in sharing a friendship with her, Stormy still needed to be cautious. Besides, the shy kouhai had only known both girls for one day.

A few minutes had gone by and yet Stormy neither saw nor heard any signs of Sho. Her feet slowly swung back and forth in an attempt to assuage her growing concern, _'Sho-San has been gone for a while…I wonder what's—'_

Her body met the cement ground in under a second and knocked every ounce of air out of her lungs.

Gasping feebly, Stormy slowly turned over and propped herself up on her elbows; wincing from the pain the motion caused. However, once her emerald vision locked onto the three figures looming above her, a sheen of numb terror overtook her body.

A trio of slightly older girls adorned top-to-bottom in bandages and visible bruises grinned sinisterly at Stormy. Located in the center was a freckled brunette. She roughly gripped a handful of Stormy's collar and yanked her forward until their noses nearly touched. Her whisper seethed with the promise of vengeance.

"Well…look at who we have here girls. You think this chick checks out as our target?" Despite her last statement technically posing as a question, the brunette lacked any form of enquiry in her voice. The pair of girls behind her cackled before one of them with a pair of glasses replied cheekily.

"Yep. Brown hair, green eyes, meek, quiet and weak as fuck. This is definitely our girl, Shintaki-San."

Stormy's eyes widened in utter shock and horror, _'Sh-shintaki….O-oh Kami, no….no, no, no, no, no!'_

It was almost preposterous that Stormy hadn't recognized the bullies earlier but now that the cornered kouhai took the time to look pass the mess of bandages, it was obvious. Gulping at the dire predicament she was in, Stormy stuttered softly.

"P-p-please, I don't want any t-trouble—"

"Well too, damn, _**bad**_…" The third bully—who Stormy remembered to be nicknamed by Kendra as Animal Control girl—growled angrily while cracking her knuckles.

"We already got paid, so we're going to see the job through."

"And besides" Shintaki started with a crooked smile, "a little birdy told me that you're pretty good friends with that American bitch, Kendra." An animalistic undertone coated Shintaki's voice at the mention of the transfer student.

Stormy paled. The terrorizing trio laughed at the sight of Stormy's blatant fear before Shintaki violently pulled Stormy onto her feet and began dragging her near a more secluded side of the building. Stormy thrashed against the stronger girl's grip but soon found that her efforts were in vain. Abandoning that method, the biracial student then began screaming at the top of her lungs.

"Help! Somebody help m—Mmmph!"

Animal Control girl tightly gripped Stormy's face; effectively muffling the kouhai's yells. The bandage taped over her broken nose scrunched up along with her ugly scowl as she hissed.

"Shut up, idiot! Do it again," A solid slap connected with the side of Stormy's head; the blow weak enough to assure a bruise wouldn't form but still able to get the bully's point across, "I dare you!"

"I'd keep quiet if I were you." Shintaki cackled before shoving Stormy into the wall and watching as the kouhai crumpled to the ground—whimpering softly while cradling her head. A faux coo of sympathy escaped the bespectacled girl as she stuck out her lower lip in an exaggerated pout.

"Aww, is the poor baby going to cry?"

Stormy ears almost couldn't register the insult over the pounding of her blood. She could feel her face heating up and an onslaught of tears welling up behind her squinting eyes. _'I knew it, I just knew it! I knew this day couldn't be perfect! Something bad had to happen to me! They always do!'_ The kouhai's body slowly curled itself into a ball.

"Hey…" Shintaki called out in a bored voice before kicking Stormy's sobbing form, "you can only blame yourself, you know. None of this would've happened if you had just stayed away from Sho-San. That's what you get for talking to people above you!" Stormy peeked a watery eye at the mention of Sho. Gathering as much courage as she possibly could, the brunette enquired cautiously.

"Sh-sh-sho…San? W-why—"

"And that's as far as you're going to go." Animal Control girl interrupted sternly. Raising a hand, Shintaki listed off with each raised finger.

"It doesn't matter if you ask who, what, when, where, why or how. You don't get to ask questions. Just shut up and take your punishment like a big girl, ne?" Shintaki delivered Stormy another cocky smile; the expression shooting a violent shiver up the underclassman's spine.

"P-please. Oh Kami, please, please…" Stormy pleaded helplessly as heavy tears spilled across her trembling lips. Scoffing at the pitiful display, Shintaki once again pulled Stormy to her feet…

Only to drive a fist deep into the kouhai's gut and send her tumbling back to the ground.

Shintaki pulled her up again.

Animal Control girl kicked her in the side.

Shintaki pulled her up again.

The bespectacled bully brought down a double-hand hammer fist onto her back.

Shintaki pulled her up again.

And again…

…And again…

…And again…

All Stormy could wonder about amongst her intense agony is why fate treated her so cruelly, _'w-why? Why me? I didn't do anything wrong. I…I-I try so hard t-to make things better but…it's never enough….why?'_

And then a realization had dawned on her.

Sho should be back by now, yet she was nowhere to be seen. Shintaki's previous words floated about in her throbbing head.

'_**None of this would've happened if you had just stayed away from Sho-San…'**_

'_Sho-San…She…Sh-she was supposed to be my friend…'_ Stormy's heart was beating wildly as her mind functioned vigorously.

'_All this time….all the times w-we laughed and talked…I-I thought she was different but…I was wrong. I was dead wrong!'_

A particularly powerful uppercut made home in Stormy's abdomen; forcing a heaving cough and saliva to spurt from her gaping mouth.

'_I knew I shouldn't have trusted her! Sh-she's a liar! They're all dirty liars!'_

"Hey!" Shintaki's hot breath wafted across Stormy's face, "don't pass out on us yet! The fun is just starting—"

"G-get away from me." Stormy had uttered the command in the quietest whisper the bullies had ever heard…but there was something ominous lurking beneath it. Her emerald orbs were dull and gazing at an indistinguishable spot past the bullies' heads. Ignoring the uncomfortable jolt in the pit of her stomach, Shintaki tilted her head curiously.

"And what if I don't, you little shit—"

"Get away from me." Again, Stormy's whisper withheld a mysterious, silent warning. Anger soon flooded through Shintaki's system as she bared her teeth.

"You're getting a little too cocky, bitch!" Shintaki's free hand reached behind her. Upon revealing the object, its metal head gleamed menacingly in the sunlight.

"Wait, stop!"

The three bullies turned at the new voice and scowled—annoyed that their revenge had been hindered. Standing just a few meters away was a horrified and shamed Sho. Her onyx orbs unwillingly absorbed Stormy's beaten and unresponsive form. Holding out a shaky hand, the dark-haired teen sputtered.

"Th-this wasn't part of the deal! You were just supposed to scare her a little, not hurt her!"

"As if we would let an opportunity like this slip up!" Shintaki laughed haughtily while twirling her blade—the weapon a clear upgrade from her old butterfly knife.

"It's your little friend's fault for coming to us! We don't play fair, pretty eyes! Guys," The freckled leader directed her gaze to Animal Control girl and the four-eyed girl, "make sure pretty eyes doesn't get in the way…" In an instant, Sho was tackled to the ground and held down by the two girls' weighty; her arms pinned behind her back. Sho struggled to free herself from the hold but it proved to be fruitless. Giving in to defeat, the devastated teen buried her face in the ground—unable to watch Stormy's punishment unfold. Upon noticing this, Shintaki gained a sadistic idea.

"Oh no, you're gonna watch this, pretty eyes…" Two hands clenched handfuls of Sho's dark locks and forced her distressed vision to snare onto Stormy. Nausea, guilty, and self-hatred festered in her gut as she took in Stormy's injuries—no one was to blame but herself. It did not matter if Tsunami had been the one to pay the three maniacs to intimidate Stormy, Sho had been the one to guide Stormy straight to them. Salty trails pooled down Sho's pale cheeks as she blubbered.

"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry, Stormy! It's all my fault! Oh Kami, what have I done—"

"Oh boo-hoo!" Shintaki mocked loudly, "Save the tears, pretty eyes. You look ugly when you cry anyways." Resting the blade against Stormy's neck in one swift motion, Shintaki gazed upon the kouhai's blank features once more.

"Heh, I think we broke her guys!"

Shintaki shook her.

"Hey! Anybody hoooome? You're kinda about to die here!"

Sho relinquished an agonizing whimper.

"How do you fix this thing?" The brunette continued to shake Stormy but still didn't receive a response from the silent girl. Finally shrugging in indifference, Shintaki concluded dryly.

"Fine. Frankly I don't give a fuck if you scream and cry or not. Saves my ears the trouble—"

"Get away from me."

It took all of everyone's will power not to jump back in surprise. Steeling her momentarily jumbled nerves, Shintaki chuckled lowly.

"Damn! You nearly gave me a heart attack! Are you taking drugs or some…thing…?" The brunette trailed off unsurely as a blazing spark of life returned to Stormy's jade pupils.

All in one instant, Stormy's eyes closed shut, her soft face tightened, her chest inflated with a massive intake of air and screeched at a humanly impossible volume.

"_**GET AWAY FROM MEEEEE!**_"

Incoherent screams of horror and confusion were drowned out by the sonic frequency of her wail. Stormy could've sworn the earth quaked beneath her feet but failed to think any further on the notion as her entire soul flowed into her yell.

Ten seconds later, it was over.

Stormy collapsed to her hands and knees; heaving in extreme exhaustion. Weakly raising her eyes, they widened in astonishment at the sight laid out before her.

"W-wha…How did…" She muttered breathlessly.

Measuring at approximately five feet in width, a deep crater that started right in front of Stormy stretched on meters ahead—having ripped both soil and cement to pieces. Staggering to her feet, the confused brunette frantically searched her surroundings for the bullies or Sho. Just as she began to fear that they had been killed by the destructive phenomenon, a familiar dark-haired figure came stumbling from the distance.

"Ugh! Kami! What the hell was that…" Sho grumbled unsteadily with a palm pressed firmly to her temple—more than likely suffering from a mild concussion. However, once her disgruntled vision locked with Stormy's, her guilt rekindled with renewed vigor. Sho carefully took a step towards Stormy but allowed hurt to cross her dirtied features when the biracial kouhai took a step back. Pain and regret filled Sho's entire being at the sight of Stormy's righteously furious and betrayed expression.

"S-Stormy, I…Please let me explain—"

"Don't…I don't need to hear any more of your lies, Kimiwaru-San!"

Sho's heart dropped.

"I'm giving you exactly what you wanted! You stay out of my life and I'll stay out of yours!" Without another word, Stormy turned on her heels and ran off—not allowing Sho to witness her tears falling.

"Stormy! Stormy, please!" Sho cried out desperately. It was no use though, and Stormy's form had finally disappeared from her sight. She ran her hands through her midnight black hair and shouted in frustration.

"Fuck!" _'Oh Kami, how am I supposed to fix this?! Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid! Why am I always so damn stupid?!'_ The pain in her chest was unimaginable and never once had she ever experienced an emotional agony so raw and consuming.

Multiple groans caught the distraught student's attention. Following the sounds, Sho shortly found the bullying trio sprawled out on the ground; tossing and turning about in disorientation.

That's when it clicked in her mind.

'_Tsunami…'_ Sho realized furiously. Her form straightened with purpose and promptly paced for dorm building A.

Sho needed to have a _**serious**_ talk with her best friend…

* * *

><p>That explosion of noise never happened.<p>

There was no way it could have come from her.

No expelled bullies came and physically assaulted her.

She was currently treading the halls as passing students openly gawked at her bruises and scratches.

Sho never actually betrayed her.

In fact, Stormy and Sho had never even met.

'_Just forget today even happened. Forget about it. Forget about it. Forget about it.'_ The emerald-eyed kouhai repeated over and over. Upon entering her dorm room and locking the door behind her, Stormy retrieved her new book, _Legend of the Heroic Shikigami_, plopped onto her bed and snuggled with her stuffed otter. This pass-time had always been therapeutic for Stormy. Hopefully, a heavy dose of reading would help in reducing at least a shred of the girl's emotional turmoil.

Ten minutes into reading, the kouhai was pleased to find that was book was fulfilling its purpose in distracting her from her emotions. She couldn't deny that the plot and overall concept of the story intrigued her greatly. However, just as she was about to turn the page, she noticed something odd happening to the print.

Squinting her eyes and drawing in the book closer, her eyebrows arched questioningly as the letters' black font progressively grew lighter and lighter until they turned a faint, lime green. Stormy sat up, dropped the book onto her lap and rubbed her eyes—certain that her perception was playing tricks on her. However, when she looked again, she instinctually threw away the book with a gasp when green beams of light seeped from it.

Pressing herself as far into the headboard of her bed as she possibly could, she watched in fear as the jade illumination grew stronger in intensity. Stormy placed a hand over her eyes and turned away, the emerald light becoming borderline blinding.

Suddenly, just as the level of brightness reached its peak, it receded until completely dying out of existence. Stormy refused to move or breathe for a few moments. Surely, she should be dead right now and, once she opens her eyes, she'll be in heaven. Obviously, the possibility terrified her but she knew she'd have to look sooner or later. Lowering her trembling arm, Stormy's eyes shifted about in her head frantically in search of angels, Kami, or a beautiful cloudy landscape.

She only saw her room.

"Thank Kami…" Breathing a sigh of relief, Stormy carefully crawled off her bed and approached the seemingly harmless book one hesitant step at a time. She nudged the old text with her foot; for some reason expecting the manuscript to come to life and eat her alive. At long last judging the coast to be clear, Stormy picked up the book and quickly flipped through the pages; checking it for any alternations. Initially, she didn't find a single differences but upon scrutinizing the table of contents, her brow scrunched up in perplexity.

A new chapter had been added right before the epilogue.

_Chapter 48: Two Souls Merge into One_

"What the…Th-that wasn't there before…" Stormy mumbled.

First Sho, then the weird blast of sound, and now this book? Stormy was genuinely considering seeing a therapist soon…

* * *

><p>Kendra sat alone in the black void.<p>

Her back was leaning against an imperceptible wall as her hands rested upon the lap of her outstretched legs. Her hazel gaze withheld a deep yet barren layer of contemplation; as if she was solving a problem that was already answered a long time ago.

"God…" She rasped weakly.

"…I knew...I just knew it all 'long…" Lazily rolling her head to the left, Kendra leveled her gaze with a motionless Anima.

The soul manipulator sat in a fashion similar to her own but refused to make eye contact with his host. The vulnerability and fear screamed within his whisper.

"So now thy truly knows…I am a monster—"

"Dat ain't what I meant." Kendra interrupted. Anima finally directed his lime vision at Kendra in pure surprise. Not allowing the stunned immortal to retort, Kendra continued in a shaky voice.

"I just knew…dat all dis time, ya was really a good guy. I really did know." Turning to fully face the transfer student, Anima rushed out in a rare bout of panic.

"What does thy mean?! I-I am not good! I am anything but! I am a murderous scum! Thy had seen it all! Had felt it all!"

Tears of frustration cascaded down his handsome face.

"Did thy not see how I ruined my life?! I killed my flesh and blood! My kin! My beautiful wife, _**Stella**_! My wonderful father, _**Abio**_! My p-precious daughter, _**Gemma**_!" Anima desperately searched Kendra's face for understanding, for a moment of epiphany, but instead found a sad, pitying smile gracing her dark cheeks. He reeled at the expression; thoroughly rocked by the girl's illogical reactions.

"W-why?" He mumbled, "why does thy regard me so warmly? Why is thy not afraid of me? By Gods and Goddesses above, why is thy so confusing?!"

A heavy silence hung in the air.

"…"

Kendra reaffirmed her gaze to the distant darkness before releasing a lengthy sigh.

"Ya so stupid, I swear."

Anima simply stared back, astonished at Kendra's blatant insult.

"Listen up 'n listen close. You, did, not, kill, them."

The soul manipulator opened his mouth to heatedly counteract but, once again, Kendra had beat him to the punch.

"Yes, I did see everythin' dat happened. Ya wanna know what happened? A man who loved his family wit all of his heart wanted to make himself stronger cuz they had almost gotten killed. But den his bipolar grandpa used a spell on 'em dat went haywire 'n winds up killin' da grandpa. Den da _**spell**_ started to corrupt him! Ya hear dat Anima? Da _**spell**_ started to corrupt him!" Hanging her head and hands tightening into fists, Kendra allowed a sob to escape her.

"God…everythin' ya went through was so fuckin' unfair…Igneus…da floatin' mask…the death of ya family…ya didn' deserve any of dis shit! None of it! Cuz you are a good man, Anima! I mean, fuck, yeah you're a stubborn ass, smug, 'n annoyin' Casanova but you…Da last thing ya are is a monster!" Anima could see Kendra's struggle to suppress her tears and had already forgotten to do the same for his own.

Inhaling an unsteady breath, Kendra reached out a hand to Anima without looking at him.

"B-but ya know what? Ya ain't just a good man, either. And I ain't just some country hick with an almighty soul livin' inside of her…We, Anima…we are one person, a'ight? One, single, soul in one, single, body. We ain't sharin' or fightin' for anythin'. We just _**are**_…"

Every spiritual molecule in Anima's physique tremored. Never in his four hundred years of transferring from host to host has he ever been fully accepted. Never has he ever been offered full, unlimited trust and access to every aspect of a human's soul. He had always faced resistance, denial, savage anger, and fear.

"Thy is…th-thy is truly insane…t-to want to—"

"Anima, I swear to da Gods and Goddesses above, if ya don' take my hand right now, I'll shove my foot up ya ass." Habitually, a light sneer crossed Anima's angular features as he spat indignantly.

"Watch thy's—"

"Dirty tongue. I know, Anima. I know…" Kendra smiled, shaking her hand in encouragement for Anima to grasp it.

The green-haired man eyed her palm with uncertainty for moment before gradually allowing the reluctance to ebb away from his demeanor. Perfectly mirroring the cocky embodiment of Kendra's grin, he firmly interlocked his sturdy hand with her smaller one.

Kendra's smile widened.

"Now then…how 'bout ya explain these chopped up memories to me in detail?"…

* * *

><p>...<p>

...

...So? I bet you guys didn't see that coming! Hey, I wasn't just gonna add Stormy to the story without giving her a purpose! So, what really happened? Did she created that sound wave? Or was it something else?

Hmmmmm...tell me your predictions! I'd love to read them! :D

Now, if you would please...

CLICK THE REVIEW/COMMENT BUTTON. -.-


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